Sleeper
by Nautical Paramour
Summary: "She will talk like a pureblood, act like a pureblood, understand pureblood traditions better than a pureblood. By the time she reaches Hogwarts, no one will question her." After the death of James and Lily, Sirius and Hermione become a sleeper cell, determined to take down the Death Eaters from the inside. Eventual Theo/Hermione. AU. Pureblood!Hermione, Slytherin!Hermione,COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

A/N: This story is inspired by the TV show the Americans. I hope that you enjoy my take on it. It's an eventual Theomione.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this - let me know if you enjoyed chapter one and be on the lookout for chapter two soon!

* * *

As soon as he'd heard the news, he'd rushed to Godric's Hollow. He didn't want to believe that it was true, and he had to see for himself. James, Lily and Harry had been trapped away in their cottage, in hiding for months, hiding from Voldemort. They were meant to be _safe_ there. There were high levels of suspicion in the Order - someone was betraying them, and for weeks now Sirius had been so _sure_ that it was Remus. But, how could he have possibly suspected one of his friends? Things had been so tense...

Now, standing in Godric's Hollow, he saw that the rumors were true. He was right to suspect a friend, but he had suspected the wrong one. _Peter_. He wanted to string that little rat up by his tail. Tears burst into his eyes thinking that his best friend, James, was dead.

Dumbledore was already there, holding a tiny bundle and talking with Hagrid. "Is Harry alright?" He demanded, fury in his eyes, wanting, needing to know that his godson was alright. He could still make things right, for Harry.

"Yes, Harry survived." Dumbledore said in his calm tone of voice. It almost made Sirius a bit mad that he could be so calm at a time like this. He was supposed to be the one in charge. How had he let this happen?

"You have some nerve showing up here, you traitor!" Hagrid bellowed, making Sirius momentarily afraid of the giant.

His shoulders slumped that people were so quick to believe that he had sold out his _best_ friend. James was like his brother, really. "It wasn't me." Sirius said vehemently. "It was Peter. We changed at the last minute, knowing that...most people would assume that I was the secret keeper. We thought it was safer this way." Sirius turned his attention to Dumbledore. "Go ahead and look in my head. I will take veritaserum, if that's what you need."

Dumbledore gave Sirius a tight smile, before shaking his head. "No need, Sirius. I believe you."

Sirius felt some of the heavy weight on his chest ease up. It was wonderful to be believed in. But at the same time, it made him pause. How was Dumbledore so quick to trust him? Had he known that Pettigrew was the secret keeper? Had he known that Peter was betraying them? Sirius supposed it didn't matter now. "Well, hand Harry over. I'm his godfather - I will protect him with my life."

"I'm afraid that I can't do that Sirius." Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling. "I have another job for you...and it will take years. Harry will be in good hands."

Sirius tightened his hand around his wand, irrationally angry that Dumbledore was talking like this. "Harry's safety is the most important thing. James and Lily would have wanted me to look after him." Couldn't Dumbledore see that this was what was best for Harry?

"No need to come to a duel, Sirius." Dumbledore said, eyes widening slightly, seeing the hand tightening on the wand. Perhaps Sirius was more of a Black than he expected. "We have to think about the Order right now...what is best for _everyone_. Sometimes we must do things for the greater good."

Sirius readjusted his hand on his wand. "Then, if you won't let me have Harry...let me go take care of Peter. Please, let me kill him, for what he did to James." The rage was boiling up inside of him.

"No!" Dumbledore demanded, using a rarely used raised voice, usually reserved for quieting the Great Hall at Hogwarts. "You will go wait at Order Headquarters. Do not go after Peter. Think about James and Lily. I will come see you later tonight, and let you know what the mission is."

Sirius heard Dumbledore's words, but didn't want to accept them. He looked at the smoldering ruins of James and Lily's cottage and let out a strangled cry, echoing in the stillness of the night. He took a deep breath, knowing he needed to keep his raw emotions in check at a time like this. "Alright, I'll go." Closing his eyes, and feeling the tears escape onto his cheeks, he apparated away.

* * *

Sirius had been waiting in Order Headquarters, pacing like a madman for over two hours, before Dumbledore showed up. Everything was still, considering everyone else was out rounding up Death Eaters, now that Voldemort was gone. He felt like an utterly useless lump sitting here doing nothing, and he resented Dumbledore for guilting him into coming. He wanted to be out there fighting, not waiting around!

When Dumbledore finally showed up, Dumbledore was carrying a sleeping child, and Sirius's heart leapt, thinking it might be Harry. But then he saw the long curly brown hair, and his heart sank again. Dumbledore settled the sleeping girl on the couch. "What's the meaning of this?" Sirius demanded. "Where is Harry?"

"Harry is safe, Sirius." Dumbledore assured him, but without proof, Sirius's soul couldn't settle.

"Well, who the fuck is this? I didn't just want any toddler, I want Harry." He demanded, letting his eyes settle on the little girl. Who could she be?

"This is girl is a muggleborn. Her parents were killed tonight, and she will become an integral part of your mission." Dumbledore urged Sirius to sit down, as his pacing was driving him crazy. "I told you, this mission will take years."

Sirius's eyes widened at that. He'd never participated in a mission that took more than a few months, let alone years. Why was Dumbledore giving _him_ this responsibility? "Why are you even giving me a mission?" Sirius asked, finally flopping into a chair, not caring if he woke the girl. "Voldemort is dead."

"For now." Dumbledore said cryptically. The silence between them stretched for seconds, but it felt like hours to Sirius, as the meaning sunk in. "Voldemort, I fear, will be back. And this time I plan on having someone under deep cover." His blue eyes weren't twinkling, but rather, staring at Sirius, trying to see into his soul.

"You want it to be me?" Sirius said, his eyebrows knitting together. He was probably the best equipped, as he still remembered all those pureblooded customs. "But everyone knows I've been disowned. I don't see how that would be much help. And how does she fit in?" He asked, gesturing to the toddler.

"She will be your in with your family." Dumbledore said, and began to unfold his plans. "She is an orphan, in need of a family. We will perform a ritual tonight that will make her your daughter, flesh and blood. You can use her to get your mother to allow you back into the family." Dumbledore said it so matter of factly, as though using a child as a tool of manipulation wasn't a horrid thing to do.

A stone had settled into the pit of Sirius's stomach. He hadn't even thought about his mother. He was just hoping that he could go to one of his uncles instead. "She won't buy it. And unless that girl becomes a pureblood, she will just toss me back out on the street!"

"I'd considered that..." Dumbledore said, looking up at Sirius over his half-moon spectacles. "I figure, the best story is that you didn't know of her existence. The McKinnons were undercover for over a year, before they were killed. And I believe that you dated their daughter...Marlene?"

Sirius resisted the urge to sneer at his words. Dumbledore really had thought of _everything_. Just how long had he been planning this? But, it was a stroke of brilliance. No one could corroborate if Marlene was pregnant or had given birth. Plus the McKinnons were pureblood, though not part of the Sacred 28. Walburga wouldn't like it, but it wasn't like she could deny the child either. "What makes you think that I am even capable of taking care of a child?"

Sirius could have sworn that Dumbledore smirked at him. "Weren't you the one who was so eager to take custody of Harry tonight?"

"That's not the same and you know it!" Sirius raged, only to stop when he saw the little girl on the couch move around, disturbed by the raised voices. "How does she fit into this? I can't raise a muggleborn as a pureblood, and teach her to hate her own parents. It's not right." Sirius felt more and more sick to his stomach as each one of his questions was answered. Was he really considering doing this?

"Don't you see? She will help you, and later on, _she_ will be able to give us intelligence too." Dumbledore argued. "We know that Voldemort had a recruitment network in Hogwarts. Just look at Regulus." Sirius scowled. Dumbledore always knew exactly which buttons to push. Sirius always cared for his brother, even though his allegiance to the dark side had separated them. "She will talk like a pureblood, act like a pureblood, understand pureblood traditions _better_ than a pureblood. By the time she reaches Hogwarts, no one will question her."

Sirius let his head fall to his hands. Why was Dumbledore doing this to him? He'd always trusted the man...but then, so had James and James ended up dead!

Perhaps sensing that Sirius was weakening under the strength of the argument, Dumbledore decided to twist the knife of manipulation a bit further. "Do it for your best friend, Sirius! Help me bring down the man that killed James and Lily. Wouldn't you do anything for your friend?"

"I would have died for them!" Sirius felt fresh tears on his cheeks, but then, before he knew what he was doing, he was nodding. Dumbledore woke up the little girl, who was confused, and had huge tears in her brown eyes. Sirius took the time to look her over.

She did have curly hair like him, and it was a shade somewhere between his black and Marlene's bright blonde. He wasn't sure if that was how hair worked, but then again, he had cousins with a variety of hair colors. Hell, even Walburga had had blonde hair in her youth. Her eyes were the same brown as Marlene's as well. If he didn't know that it wasn't her, he was certain he could be convinced that it actually _was_ Marlene's child.

Dumbledore began pulling ceremonial instruments out of his sleeves - a dagger, a chalice, a lock of blonde hair, and a little potions kit. He took a bit of Sirius's blood first, leave a small cut on the pad of his middle finger. Then he added the hair - Marlene's, Sirius would wager - and a multitude of other ingredients. It made Sirius's skin crawl. It was blood magic - something the Blacks took quite well to - and he knew it was for a good cause, but it was still dark magic, and it left a taint on you. He couldn't imagine performing it on such a little girl.

When he was done, Dumbledore handed the chalice to Sirius, who then encouraged the girl to drink it. She looked scared, but he could see the beginnings of trust start to form in her eyes. He stroked her curly hair and held the cup to her lips, his own tears forming when she drank every last drop.

* * *

Walburga Black was ready to scream at the young man on her doorstep - a young man she told never to come back after she blasted him off the family tapestry - until she saw the little girl that he had on his hip. Walburga pursed her lips together, taking in his disheveled appearance and red rimmed eyes. He was still wearing those ridiculous muggle _jeans_ and a black leather coat. "What do you want?" She demanded.

Sirius seemed to steel himself, taking a deep breath. "Can we come in? Please?"

It wasn't at all what she had come to expect from Sirius, whose conversations usually quickly escalated into screaming matches. Walburga took a look at the girl, with her curly brown hair and frightened eyes. She was holding a little stuffed rabbit that looked ratty and dirty. "Fine." She stood aside and let Sirius enter the house of her father, wondering if she'd just made a horrible mistake.

Walburga brought them to the parlor, and her pureblooded upbringing didn't allow for a lapse in manners. She called Kreacher for tea, and the house elf scowled at her remaining offspring in disgust. Sirius settled the girl on his lap, and Walburga had her curiosity get the better of her. "Who is the girl?"

The girl - as his mother called her - had actually bonded with Sirius quite quickly, and was remarkably talkative for a two year old. She was already calling him papa, which made Sirius's heart clench a little every time that she did. He'd never once thought about being a father, but now that he was acting as one, he found that he took to it quite well. "This is my daughter. She is called Hermione."

Walburga immediately stiffened. "I wasn't aware that you were...involved." She then sniffed, barely able to resist turning up her nose. "Hermione...that's an unusual name...for the Black family."

Sirius scowled, shaking his head. Really, it was as if she didn't know the names in her own family were considered ridiculous by many people. "I wasn't aware of her until a week ago. Marlene McKinnon, my ex-girlfriend, was her mother." He said, petting Hermione's hair. "As you know, she and her whole family were killed, even though they were in hiding." He swallowed, before continuing to lay it on thick. "I would have chosen a different name for her. Perhaps Cassiopeia or Cepheia." He hated those names, but knew his mother would appreciate the constellations.

Walburga's heart soared. A pureblooded grandchild for the House of Black. It was wonderful. She was so concerned after Regulus had died and then her Orion not much later that her house would be in ruins, but now... "How is it that you just come to know of her now?" Walburga asked, suddenly suspicious.

Sirius let his mind wander to James and Lily's death, and let some fresh tears form in his eyes. Dumbledore suggested using real emotion to make things seem more real. "They thought that I couldn't be trusted. So no one told me that she was alive. And then...it took them weeks to give my own child to me, when she had no one else!"

Walburga considered this. "Who is they, Sirius?"

Sirius looked up at her, trying to hide his shock. It was the first time that she'd called him by his first name in years. "They...Dumbledore, the Order of the Phoenix." He kissed Hermione on the head. "They have been taking decisions away from us for years, all in the name of the greater good! But, whose greater good? Certainly not mine...and not Hermione's either." He let his annoyance at being put in this situation, at being manipulated into this situation, bleed into his voice. He needed to be convincing after all.

Walburga was preening inside. She knew that Dumbledore's way was the wrong path, and she was glad that Sirius was beginning to see the light as well. "Well, I don't really see what I can do to help you?"

"I want Hermione recognized by the House of Black." Sirius said firmly. Here was the part that he was dreading the whole time. He didn't want to beg or grovel his way back into a House that he wanted no part of, but Dumbledore insisted that it was necessary. Sirius did resent his old Headmaster now. " _I_ want to be brought back into the House of Black. I want to raise my daughter the _right_ way."

Walburga's lips were held in a tight line. Did she want to let her son back into the Ancient and Noble House of Black? He had been such a troublesome youth and teenager, but people could grow and mature. He was twenty-two, could he really have matured that much in five years?

Walburga looked at the little girl. She supposed that parenthood did change you. "And what is the right way?"

"I didn't realize what it all met until I had her to look after." Sirius said, looking down at the little girl. "I understand now how the pureblood ideals will make _her_ life better. She deserves to be raised as a Black. I don't want to go back to the Order - they got James and Lily killed and they kept Hermione from me for _years._ "

Walburga smiled and stood, glad that Sirius had finally seen the light. It was especially fortuitous for her because it meant the continuation of _her_ line. Recently Narcissa had been a bit too presumptuous about the Black inheritances her Draco was entitled to. "Well, let's go visit the portrait."

Sirius's jaw nearly dropped. Was it really that easy? His mother had practically welcomed them with open arms. He nodded, picking Hermione back up, and followed him mother out of the room. Walburga raised her wand at the spot that used to house his face and he watched as the fabric began knitting itself back together.

He was surprised to see that it looked exactly the same as before. Had he ever been officially disowned? Walburga opened her arms and held them out to Sirius. "Alright, darling! Come to grandmother." Her broad smile made Sirius cringe.

Sirius couldn't think of anything he'd like to do less than hand over his daughter to this woman, who had been abusive to him throughout his childhood, but he knew that he couldn't make a fuss. He hesitantly held out Hermione for Walburga to take.

She awkwardly settled into Walburga's arms, looking at her face. "Granma?" She asked, perhaps confused.

Walburga gave her a tight smile. "Grandmother." She didn't wait for Hermione to attempt the name again. "Are you sure you don't want to change her name? We can still do it before the House recognizes her." She offered, with a smile.

Sirius shook her head. "No, I don't want to confuse her." He was taking every bit of Hermione's muggle heritage away from her. The least that he could do was give her her name. Her real name.

"We can break her of any bad habits." Walburga said, thinking that her granddaughter probably had been taught a lot of things that would need to be removed from her pretty little head, even though she was only two.

Sirius stiffened with that, letting his body fill with repressed rage from his youth. "I will NOT subject my daughter to corporeal punishment."

Walburga saw the fire in his eyes and was reminded of the old Sirius. Not wanting to alienate him too much, she shrugged. "Fine." She got Hermione's attention again. "Alright, darling, give me your hand." She used her wand to slice a small cut across one of the toddler's fingers, before moving to press the finger below Sirius's face on the tapestry. "Now let's see if you really _are_ Sirius's daughter."

Sirius's breath hitched, and he watched as the old tapestry soaked up the blood. Immediately, it began knitting together, until Hermione's face was revealed amongst the threads, "Hermione Black" emblazoned below her face. "Of course you are, you look so much like your cousin Bellatrix." Sirius shuddered further at that suggestion. He wanted Bellatrix as far away from Hermione as possible. If he had his way, they would never even meet.

The girl must have agreed, because she began to fidget in Walburga's arms. "Papa?" She asked, arms outstretched and waiting for him to take her back. Walburga frowned, but handed the girl back to her son.

"Well, I believe you know your way back to your room. I will have Kreacher bring down a crib from the attic." Walburga said. She looked at the disheveled look of her son with disdain. "We should go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get you some proper clothes."

Sirius looked down at himself. He sighed, knowing that this was his new life, for Merlin knows how many years. "Yes, of course. Hermione will need some new clothing as well." He took a deep breath. "I understand that my cousin Narcissa has a young child as well. Perhaps she could come with to help with Hermione's clothes? I am still learning how to raise such a young child."

Walburga smiled. It seemed that Sirius really had turned around. "Yes of course, I will send her an owl."

Sirius turned around and walked up the stairs towards his old bedroom, Hermione safely on his hip. He opened the door and sighed, seeing that it had been left untouched, still incredibly messy. He hated this place.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow! Thank you so much for the excellent response! I am so glad that you are enjoying this so much. Huge shout out to everyone who favorited, followed or reviewed. I will try to respond to reviews via PM, but I had way more than expected, so it might take some time.

This is a look at Hermione's childhood. There is a brief mention of physical punishment in this chapter, but hopefully it won't offend anyone. Next chapter will be Hogwarts. Please let me know what you think!

* * *

 **December 1981**

Sirius had only lasted a month living under the same roof as Walburga. He knew that he should bite his tongue and just deal with her terrible attitude as it would give him more clout in pureblood circles, but he hated the way she acted around Hermione. It was after the holidays that his grandfather, Arcturus had offered the house in France up to him.

Apparently his Aunt Lucretia could see how uncomfortable he was back at Grimmauld Place and how overbearing Walburga was. Arcturus could see that his daughter-in-law had effectively ruined two heirs already, and didn't want her spending more time with her granddaughter than necessary. The old man had a real soft spot for his little princess Hermione, even though he only had known her for weeks. Sirius wished he'd known his grandfather was so soft when he was a boy.

Hermione had enchanted most of her relatives. Narcissa had initially been cold and reserved around Sirius, but she quickly warmed after helping him get clothing made for Hermione. Soon she was decked out in the most fashionable rompers and dresses, and Narcissa had forgiven her cousin. He needed _so much_ help with raising a toddler after all, Narcissa didn't know how Sirius would get along without her.

Sirius supposed that part of it might have been Narcissa's desire to have a daughter. She'd quickly confided in him that Draco - yes, she'd gotten Lucius to name his heir Draco...the perfect melding of the stars and the Roman Senate - would be an only child, as they were not able to have any other children. Growing up with two sisters, she'd always wanted a daughter to spoil. Sirius didn't mind the help with Hermione though.

Hermione did enjoy having a playmate in Draco, though she certainly didn't mind playing by herself. Sirius loved to watch his little girl boss the blond boy around, and it seemed like she always got her way with him. Once he got over the awkwardness of having someone else's child, Sirius found it much easier to be around her. She was his daughter now, and he would protect her.

It was easy to make the decision to move out though, with what the big house in the south of France, overlooking the sea, offered to him. He promised Narcissa that he would be in touch, and packed up his and Hermione's meager belongings, before settling into a large empty house with just a kindly old house elf working there.

* * *

 **September 1985**

Sirius generally limited his visits with Walburga to three times a year, though each visit had him swearing that it would be the last one. They saw each other around Yule, when they would meet at Arcturus's house, as all Blacks did, for celebrations. She would spoil her granddaughter with presents, and loved the way that Hermione always called her "Grandmother."

"What a perfect little witch you are!" She would coo over the girl, but scowl with she still called Sirius "Papa." Sirius didn't know why she was so insistent on him being called "father," when he thought that papa suited him just fine. Hermione quickly learned that love was very, very conditional with Grandmother Walburga, and stopped trying as much to win her affection. Still, she loved seeing her other aunts, uncles, and cousins, as well as her great-grandparents.

Walburga always came to visit on Hermione's birthday - September 19th - to the big house on the sea, but would never stay long. She never came to visit on Sirius's birthday and it hardly seemed like she remembered.

Sirius could never miss a visit on Walburga's birthday in May, though, and he would take Hermione through the floo to Grimmauld Place, which seemed to become darker and darker with each visit. It made him happy every time that they'd moved out of the dark, grungy townhouse. He couldn't believe that his parents had ever thought it suitable to raise children in.

When his mother finally - yes, finally...he waited with baited breath that each owl from his grandfather as a death announcement - died in 1985, he took Hermione to the funeral, but wasn't able to cry. He explained what happened to his little girl - six years old that this point - but, to his surprise, she wasn't too shaken up about it either.

After the funeral, though, Narcissa approached him. "Maybe it's time for you to move back." She whispered to him, pulling him away from people eager to pay him _condolences_. "Hermione is six now, and I had planned on hiring Draco a private tutor. Hogwarts is only five years off, and we want our children to be prepared, don't we?"

Sirius looked at his daughter, and was reminded for the first time in many years her purpose in this whole game as well. He needed her to be as prepared as possible before sending her into the viper's nest. His heart beat a bit faster thinking that she might be sorted into Gryffindor like him. With her wildly curly hair and bright brown eyes, he thought she looked a bit like a lioness.

But, then, it sank, knowing that that could never be possible.

* * *

 **October 1985**

Hermione Black had been excited to move back to England, mostly because it meant that she would get to see her cousin, Draco more often. He was okay as a playmate, seeing as he was her only playmate. Her papa told her that they were going to start taking lessons with a tutor to prepare for Hogwarts, and also etiquette lessons with Aunt Narcissa.

Hermione wasn't excited to move back into Grimmauld Place, but Papa had assured her that she could change her room anyway she wanted to. She'd already decided on pink sheets. Papa didn't seem excited to move in either. He told her that he grew up there, and didn't have many happy memories, so he would be changing a lot of things.

Still, she was excited to start learning new things, so she thought that it would be a good move in the end, even though she would miss her house by the sea.

* * *

 **November 1987**

Hermione remembered the first time she understood that she and Papa were different than the rest of the Black family. She had dutifully flooed over to Malfoy Manor every day, where she would spend the morning learning a variety of educational topics, followed by an afternoon of wizarding etiquette with Narcissa. She dutifully practiced introducing herself and learning floral arranging and which behaviors were unacceptable - the slightest things could be taboo.

Hermione would preen under Narcissa's assessment of what a proper witch she was growing into, and how being a Black made her _better_ than so many others. Narcissa was a Black, after all, so she would know. Somehow, Papa hadn't gotten the message because he was always certain to remind her that her birth, her family didn't make her better than any one else. It was the content of her character and her intelligence that would set her apart. He expected her to respect everyone at Hogwarts, and not to act superior to others.

She listened to Uncle Lucius talk about how the mud - muggleborns were destroying society, along with the blood traitors. When she decided to ask Papa about mudbloods, though, he seemed to be angrier than any other time that she'd seen him.

He'd grabbed her by the arm and marched her to the bathroom, only to clean her mouth out with soap. "Do not use that word! Never use that word. It is not something polite young girls say."

Hermione had huge salty tears form in her eyes, spitting out the soap that remained in her mouth. She didn't mean to upset her Papa, and she hadn't realized that it was a bad word. Uncle Lucius said it all the time, and with such nonchalance, it couldn't possibly be bad. "I'm sorry! I didn't know that it was a bad word!" She wailed, clutching her father's shirt. "I won't say it again, I promise!"

Her Papa had gathered her up in his arms, and held her close, letting out a deep breath. He pet her hair, listening as her sobs settled down into sniffles. When she'd calmed down, he apologized to her for overreacting, before telling her to head to her room for the afternoon - he had business to take care of.

* * *

Sirius had tried his hardest to raise Hermione to be a kind, respectful little girl, but unfortunately those qualities were not prized in pureblood society, and certainly not in the Black family. He was constantly undoing Narcissa's handiwork of teaching his princess that she should look down on others because of her name and wealth.

Still, it was unpreventable, he supposed, coming from such privilege. Hell, even he and James had been that way when he started at Hogwarts. It took two years of mildly offending Remus before they pulled their heads out of their arses. Still, Sirius had walked around Hogwarts like he'd owned the place, right up to graduation.

But hearing his sweet princess say that horrible word...he'd snapped. He still couldn't believe he'd washed her mouth out with soap, considering early on he'd promised _not_ to use physical punishment like his parents had. But then, he'd remember the confident way that the word had come out of her mouth. It was time for him to explain who she really was. Could an eight year old be trusted with such knowledge? Unfortunately, she would have to be, because she'd be heading off to Hogwarts in three short years. He often wondered what the purpose of their mission was in the years since he'd started on it, as it seemed futile. The whole time that he'd been with his family, he hadn't heard one whisper of Voldemort's return - praise for his work, yes, but resurrection, no.

He'd given up everything for this. He was completely cut off from his friends, he was still morning James and Lily all these years later. Dumbledore had told him not to contact him for years, but now it was necessary, for Hermione's sake. He only hoped his daughter could forgive him for lying for so many years.

* * *

Sirius secured a meeting with Dumbledore fairly easily, considering their last meeting. He ushered Hermione through the floo, where she was first introduced to the Headmaster. "Why Miss Black! You've grown so much since I last saw you." Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling.

It was true, she was now a child. She was graceful and a bit small for her age, but her curly hair had grown longer and sometimes got a bit bushy, which annoyed her Aunt Narcissa to no end. Sirius was amazed by how much she really did look as though she could be a part of his family. Hermione's nose scrunched in confusion. "When have you met me before headmaster?"

"I knew you when you were only two years old." Dumbledore said, conspiratorily, his voice in a near whisper. "I assume that it is why you've brought her here today, Sirius?"

Sirius nodded. "We need an oath to keep her safe. I needed a bonder." He said gruffly. He knew that Hermione wasn't going to like what they talked about at all, but he hoped that he could repair her trust in him. He had to tell her now, before more damage was done...he couldn't bare it if she'd been taught to hate muggleborns when she was one. "Hermione, I need to tell you something, but it's a matter of _life and death_ that you don't share it with anyone else. We will take a Wizard Oath to ensure that you don't tell anyone. Sound okay sweetheart?"

Hermione looked confused, but nodded anyway, holding out her right hand to clasp with Sirius's. It nearly broke his heart, seeing how small her hand was in his own large one. This was really too much to ask of a child. Dumbledore pointed his wand at their joined hands. "Do you promise not to discuss what I tell you in this room with anyone not expressly approved by me?"

Hermione bit her lip, suddenly quite frightened. "I promise." She said finally. She watched as a bit of red light shot from the Headmaster's wand and tangled around their hands. She could feel the magic settle between them, almost burning in its intensity.

Sirius let go of her hand, once the oath had settled, and pulled Hermione to sit on his lap. He brushed some of her curly hair out of her face and behind her ear. "I don't know how to tell you this, but...I guess I should just come right out and say it. You are adopted." Sirius looked away from her, not wanting to see the betrayal on her face. "Your biological parents were killed when you were just a toddler."

Hermione was quiet for a few moments, before Sirius finally made himself face her. "So I'm not a Black?" She asked, confused.

Sirius kissed her temple. "Dumbledore and I performed a special ritual, so you _are_ my daughter, Hermione. You are a Black. You will never stop being my daughter, alright?"

Hermione nodded, and gave her Papa a little hug, glad to know that he wasn't trying to get rid of her. When he'd first told her, she was surprised. Everyone always told her how much she looked like Sirius, or her cousin Bellatrix, who she hadn't met before. She didn't want to stop being a Black. It was all she knew. "How were my parents killed?" She asked, sad that she wasn't able to remember anything about them.

"You've heard of the wizard called Voldemort?" Sirius asked, gray eyes searching her face. He knew it was so much information to take in such a short span of time.

Hermione's eyes widened and looked over towards Headmaster Dumbledore. She knew that it wasn't polite to talk about Voldemort with just anyone, but decided to follow her father's lead. "Yes, Uncle Lucius talks about him."

Sirius nodded, a bit annoyed with how casually Lucius talked about the Dark Arts. "Some of his followers, called Death Eaters, killed your parents because they were muggles." Sirius let her take it in. He could clearly see her mind whirring in confusion, before settling on the realization that she was muggleborn. "Voldemort killed my very best friend in the whole world, too."

He could see little baby tears in her eyes at the idea that someone had hurt her father. She patted his arm, wanting to provide him some comfort. Sirius kept talking. "Even though Voldemort was killed, we - Dumbledore and I - know that he will come back in the future. We had an idea that you and I would try to figure out information from some of Voldemort's followers. We can give the information to the Headmaster, and we can help to stop Voldemort once and for all this time."

Hermione was biting her lower lip in concentration - a new habit that she'd picked up. "But Papa, doesn't that mean that we will have to spy on Uncle Lucius?" Spying on people was wrong, she knew that much.

"Sweetheart, I know that it might seem wrong, but don't you want to help stop a man who would kill people like you because of who your biological parents are?" Sirius said, again stroking her long mane of hair. He knew this would be hard on an eight year old, but he knew that it needed to be done.

Hermione began to cry in earnest then. Oh! She had used the word mudblood and that is what she was. She felt horrible suddenly, not understanding why this was happening to _her_. Everything she thought she understood was suddenly in ruins on the ground around her. "Why does it have to be me?"

Sirius sighed, wanting to make this is as easy on her as possible. "Because I know you are strong, smart and kind. And I know that with your help, we will be able to make a difference in this war. Make no mistake, Hermione, there is _still_ a war going on."

Hermione finally nodded, taking his words on, knowing that she would do everything she could to help because it was the right thing to do. "Okay, papa. I'll help you." She said, hoping it didn't sound as pitiful as she felt.

Sirius smiled and kissed her cheek, wiping the tears away from her cheeks. "You will _always_ be _my_ daughter Hermione. I love you." Father and daughter embraced each other tightly, knowing that the other was the only one they had.

* * *

 **August 1991**

The next three years seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. After Sirius had explained that her being pureblooded and from such an influential family, people would be more willing to share information with her about Voldemort, once she was at Hogwarts, Hermione seemed to embrace her heritage more than ever. It was imperative that she never broke her cover.

Narcissa remarked that Hermione's retention of pureblood customs and traditions had vastly improved that she was certain to be the very _best_ behaved pureblood girl in Slytherin house. Sirius had to bite his tongue, even though he wanted to suggest that she could be in whichever house she wanted.

Even Lucius had noticed the change in her as she entered the winter of her childhood, commenting that she would make an excellent wife someday. Sirius hoped that Lucius wasn't suggesting that she marry Draco, when they were practically close enough to be siblings. His parents had married within the same family with disastrous results and he didn't want them repeated. Plus, he hoped this farce would be over long before he even start considering a marriage contract for his daughter.

While Hermione's enthusiasm grew for the new task that she was given, Sirius began to feel more and more hopeless. What even was the point of the task? It had been eleven years since James and Lily were killed and there hadn't been any new news of Voldemort, thought Lucius had grown more and more open about his blood prejudice.

It wasn't until they were in Diagon Alley that Sirius regained a sense of purpose with his mission. Hermione and he had gone to the Wizarding lane to get her school supplies for Hogwarts. Narcissa had offered to take her, but Sirius insisted that it was something he wanted to do with his daughter. It was a milestone, after all. She'd dressed pristinely in a green dress, with a white pressed shirt underneath it, and white stockings in her black mary janes. Kreacher had been in tears, remarking that Mistress Walburga would have been so pleased to see what a sweet young lady her granddaughter had grown into.

They were just leaving Gringott's when he spotted messy black hair that had him stopping in his tracks. "James." The name left his mouth before he could stop it, seeing the spitting image of his late friend, only eleven years old, and with the brilliant green eyes of Lily Evans. He blinked and began ushering Hermione away, not wanting to get into an argument with Hagrid, the half-giant. It was Harry. Harry Potter hadn't crossed Sirius's mind in many years, as he often found it too painful to linger on the past, and it felt like a betrayal to his daughter, as though he might not want her.

But it was Harry. Harry was the reason that his mission was so important, Hermione's mission was so important. He'd stay undercover as long as it took, so that he could help defeat Voldemort, not just for the muggleborns and half-bloods, but for everyone who'd been killed by Voldemort and his followers.

He said he'd do anything to protect James, even if that had meant dying, and here he was getting restless when he had the chance to make a real difference. It reinvigorated him in a way that he didn't expect.

It was for Harry.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you guys so much for your reviews, favorites and follows! I am seriously blown away by how much everyone is enjoying this story so far. I can't believe this has nearly 200 follows after only two chapters. Really, it means a lot to me, so thank you, thank you, thank you!

This chapter will take us up through the first year. Each year after this will get longer. Please let me know what you thought of chapter three! And be on the lookout for chapter four later this week.

* * *

September 1st crept up on Hermione faster than she could have ever guessed. She was excited to go to Hogwarts, excited to meet her new classmates, and excited to make her father proud. Her trunk was packed to the brim with new presents from Grandfather Arcturus and Grandmother Melania, who sent her off with early birthday presents. It was currently shrunk and in the pocket of her father, as he apparated them to Kings Cross station.

As soon as they arrived, they quickly located Narcissa, Lucius and Draco, and made their way over to where they were standing. Her father took her trunk from his pocket and returned it to it's normal size, letting a Malfoy house elf have it get onto the Hogwarts Express. "Good afternoon, Hermione. Don't you look lovely today?" Narcissa said, cheerily.

Hermione returned Narcissa's salutations, before smoothing her black velvet dress. She'd wanted to make a good impression with the other children. Her father got on one knee in front of her so that they might be at eye level, and tugged on one of the curls on her head. "I'm going to miss you, sweetheart. You remember what I told you before we left?"

Hermione nodded. Her father had told her all about his time at Hogwarts, when she asked what house he was in. She wasn't surprised to hear that he was in Gryffindor, but he explained that she must ask the Sorting Hat to put her in Slytherin. He'd barely been accepted back into the fold after taking a brief interlude as a blood traitor. If she bled anything but Slytherin green it would be too suspicious. "Focus on making friends and having fun, but school work is my priority." Hermione said. Looking slyly up at her Uncle Lucius she gave a smirk. "And Slytherin is the only house worth being sorted into."

Lucius gave her an approving smile, and Hermione forced herself to preen under his watchful gaze. Her father held her arms open and wrapped her up in a hug. She knew that he was worried about her, but she was going to make him proud. "I promise that I will write you at least once a week." Honestly, she was more worried about her father being left alone in their house for months. She knew that he still had many bad memories from when he was a child growing up in Grimmauld Place.

Sirius let her go and nodded, trying to detach himself from the situation. It was hard to let her go, but Blacks didn't cry in public. Merlin, he couldn't believe how moved and proud he was of his daughter.

Narcissa straightened Draco's shirt, while lecturing him. "Now Draco, you are to be Hermione's chaperone this year. You remember all that it entails?" Sirius's blond cousin nodded in annoyance, but stopped himself before he rolled his eyes. "Her reputation is dependent on you. You will take it seriously." Narcissa said, her cold eyes never breaking eye contact from her son.

Draco scowled. "Yes mother. Now can we please go?" He asked, grabbing a hold of Hermione's hand. After final goodbyes were said, Draco dragged Hermione with him onto the train. They quickly found a compartment with some of Draco's friends in it.

Draco rolled open the compartment door for her and allowed Hermione to enter first. She felt a little bit nervous to meet so many new people, but at the same time she was intrigued by what Draco's friends were going to be like. "Hermione, these are some of my friends - Theodore Nott, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. This is my cousin Hermione Black."

Hermione smiled demurely, and offered her hand to the three boys. Vincent and Gregory were big and quite neanderthal looking. The one called Theo had light brown hair and soft green eyes. He was the most interesting of the three to her because he was reading _Hogwarts, A History_. "I love that book." She told him shyly. "I've read it several times."

Before he could reply to her, the door was shoved open again and a pug-faced girl barged in with a tall, gangly looking girl and a pretty blonde girl. "Hello, mind if we sit here?" Before waiting for an answer, the girl had shut the door behind her. It only took a moment for her eyes to lock in on Draco's. "Pansy Parkinson." She practically shoved her hand into Draco's.

Draco introduced himself with a smirk on his face. Pansy didn't take long to notice the lone girl in the room. "And you are?" She asked, annoyed to have to share the time of Draco Malfoy with someone else. It was bad enough that he was surrounded by boys, who'd probably monopolize his time talking about Quidditch, but another girl...another girl was competition.

Draco introduced her before she could. "Hermione Black, my cousin." He said, taking the seat next to Hermione.

Pansy's grin was huge, like she was about to reveal some big secret. She grinned, with a superior look on her face. "Oh yes, Hermione Black. Daughter of Sirius Black. You can practically smell the blood traitor from here." She laughed, elbowing the tall girl in the side, drawing a snicker. "No one even knows who your real mother is. Are you sure you're a _real_ pureblood?"

Hermione's heart lurched. Was it possible that Pansy knew? But then, she knew that it was impossible and she was just being a horrible girl. "Hmm, last I checked, _real_ pureblooded girls didn't introduce themselves to young men without invitation." Hermione noticed the amethyst earrings in the girl's ears. "Or wear purple jewelry in autumn." For once, she was happy that she remembered all of the banal fashion rules that Narcissa had drilled in her head.

Pansy gasped, and Hermione smirked, knowing how proud Narcissa would be. The pretty blonde girl giggled behind her hand, only to have Pansy hiss at her. "Daphne! Come on, let's go!" The tall, gangly one left first, but the blonde one lingered.

"I think I will stay here, if that is okay?" She asked the five remaining students. Draco was the first to offer an introduction to her. She looked to Hermione nervously, as if to ask if it was acceptable to take his hand. With Hermione's nod, the girl smiled. "Daphne Greengrass."

Hermione and Daphne spent the rest of the train ride giggling while the boys played exploding snap. Before long, though, they were ushered off the train and into little boats that floated across the lake and up to the illuminated castle. Hermione had never seen anything so gorgeous before. Once they were inside the castle, the whole group of first years waited in a huddle while a Scottish, stern looking witch explained the sorting to them.

That was when she spotted Harry Potter. Both her father and Uncle Lucius had stressed that Harry Potter was to be cultivated, though for different reasons. Uncle Lucius's had been purely political, her father told her that she should help Harry if she could, but not to get too involved with him, as he'd bet the son of James and Lily Potter would be a Gryffindor.

She saw Draco introducing himself, and made her way to his side. Not sensing the tension in the conversation, she noticed Harry's broken glasses. "I can fix those for you." She offered, wanting to help him however she could, and show off a spell or to. Aiming her wand between his eyes, she spoke clearly. "Occulus Reparo." The only problem was that it didn't seem to help him at all, and soon she and Draco were being chased off by a Weasley. It made Hermione feel like she had a stone in her stomach, that she'd already failed to do what her father had asked her.

The embarrassment quickly wore off, when she was the first student to be sorted into Slytherin for their year. When the hat was placed on her head, she repeated the word Slytherin in her head, hoping to confuse the hat. It turned out that she needn't bother, as the Sorting Hat just chuckled at her. "With the kind of deception you hope to pull off, I can think of nowhere better suited to you than SLYTHERIN!"

It was fair consolation that she'd at least been able to get into the right house at Hogwarts, even if she hadn't made herself useful to Harry Potter, who, as her father had predicted, ended up in Gryffindor. Draco and his friends were all sorted into Slytherin as well, but Hermione was mostly excited that Daphne Greengrass would be joining them as well.

* * *

The first three weeks of school flew by for Hermione, as she got used to all of her classes. She'd been able to get loads of points for Slytherin in her classes for answering questions correctly. She knew that the other students - especially those in other houses - snickered at her behind her back, but she didn't mind. She liked proving what she knew.

Draco did confront her about it after a while though. "Alright, Hermione. Everyone knows you're the swot with the best grades in our year now. Can you lay off it just a little? You're making me look bad." He said, blush on his cheeks. "I don't want father to be disappointed in me." Hermione had agreed and decided that she would give her classmates chances to earn house points in the classroom.

Before she knew it though, it was her birthday, and she had turned twelve. She wasn't the oldest in her grade, as she thought that a boy in Ravenclaw and a girl in Hufflepuff had birthdays already. She knew that Theo had a birthday later in October as well.

She was sitting enjoying dinner, when a set of four owls flew in, carrying a rectangular shaped box, which they elegantly set down in front of Hermione. It was tied with a green ribbon. Hermione eagerly opened the note that was attached and saw it was from her father. "Hermione, I wish you the happiest birthday. Enjoy this sweet treat from me. Love, dad." She opened the box, and was pleased to find twelve cupcakes inside.

"Wonderful!" She said, and looked around to her friends. "Shall we go back to the Common Room to enjoy these?" She asked Daphne and Tracey. Her two friends nodded eagerly, and they went back together, followed by the boys. Vince and Greg could never say no to sweets.

After getting back to the Common Room, she dutifully handed out cupcakes to everyone in her year. They sang Happy Birthday to her, and Hermione felt that she fit in more than she ever had. She had made such wonderful friends in such a short amount of time.

After enjoying the cupcakes, the girls headed back up to their room. "Shall we paint each other's toenails and do each other's hair?" Daphne asked excited. Hermione agreed. She loved when Daphne did her hair, it always ended up looking gorgeous. Pansy and Millie even joined them. Despite their rocky beginnings, Pansy and Millie had put their issues with Hermione behind them.

Not being the queen bee of Slytherin was bad, but not having any friends was worse.

* * *

Hogwarts was in a tizzy over the upcoming Halloween holiday, which meant that many of the students were unwilling participants in their classes. Not Hermione Black, though. She was an eager student in Charms, excited to try a new spell.

She knew that she was different from other students, but she couldn't help it. She loved being right, and making people proud of her. Just last week, Professor Snape had told her that her potion was 'adequate', which was the highest praise that she'd ever heard someone receive from the dour Potions professor. Professor Snape blatantly favored Slytherins, but it did not seem to extend to her. Judging by his age, he must have gone to school with her father, so she wondered if that was why he didn't seem to particularly care for her.

Sitting in the Charms classroom, she wouldn't focus on potions, but rather, the Wingardium Leviosa charm that they were perfecting. It wasn't a difficult spell, but the pronunciation was key. Based on the flightless feathers, she would say that most of her classmates were having difficult. Ronald Weasley's pronunciation was so bad that he was liable to set his feather on fire.

A gentle correction of his pronunciation, followed by a demonstration of the correct casting of the spell, didn't yield the results that she wanted. His face turned red in embarrassment and anger. Flitwick awarded her with five points, for being the first student to master the spell.

Afterwards, when she was walking through the courtyard on her way to lunch, she saw Weasley surrounded by his friends - Potter, Finnigan, Thomas and Longbottom. He was doing an impersonation of her, she could tell, and even though she didn't want to admit it, his words stung. "She's a bloody show off. It's no wonder that she has no friends to speak of."

Hermione marched passed them, a determined look on her face, but felt tears form in her eyes when they only laughed at the realization that she'd heard what they'd said. She made her way to an infrequently used corridor on the third floor, just wanting to be alone. Sitting down against one of the walls, she let the tears trickle down her cheeks. Merlin, boys were awful. Her she thought she'd been fitting in so well, but maybe the other Slytherins were just too polite to say those things to her face.

Just then, she heard the sound of feet walking towards her, and quickly wiped the tears from her face. The figure came into view, and she saw that it was Theo Nott. "Hermione? Are you alright?" He could tell from her red rimmed eyes that she'd been crying, and he knew why. He sat down on the floor next to her, so that their knees touched.

Hermione shrugged, not trusting her voice to speak clearly at what had happened. Besides, could she even trust Theo? She didn't know much about him, other than that he liked to read as well and that he was Draco's friend. But, if her father was to be believed, he was of the sort that wanted muggleborns eradicated from the wizarding world. What would he say if he knew the truth?

"Don't pay any mind to what they say." Theo said, squeezing her hand tightly. His green eyes stared into her own, not making a comment on her utterly un-Slytherin show of emotion. "I think you're brilliant. You're a better witch than all of those Gryffindors combined."

Hermione's heart soared at that. She _did_ have friends, despite Ron Weasley's words. "Thanks Theo, you're a good friend." She told him with a shy smile.

"For the record, I think knowing a lot, and being smart is pretty cool." Theo told her, just to drive home the point that he liked her just how she was. She could tell though, he was only saying it aloud for her benefit, if the pink color on his cheeks was anything to go by. "Shall we head to lunch now?"

* * *

Sirius picked up Hermione from the platform at King's Cross Station. Not caring who saw her, she ran up to him and threw her arms around his middle. "Papa! I missed you so much!" He smelled exactly as she remembered, worn leather and old books, with a hint of spiciness, she gathered was firewhiskey.

Sirius twirled her around in a hug, before noticing Narcissa's disapproving glare. He smirked at her - so what if he didn't fit her perfect pureblood expectations right now? His daughter was home and he'd missed her. "I missed you, too, sweetheart. Come on, let's get home. Kreacher has been in the kitchen all day preparing you a feast."

When they arrived home, Hermione was eagerly greeted by Kreacher. It was so odd, she was distinctly aware that Kreacher did not approve of her father, but the old house elf seemed to like her very much. She could already smell the lemon bars baking for her dessert. She talked with the house elf for a few minutes, before joining her father in his study. They sat together on the couch. "So, how was your first term?" He asked, eager to hear everything. There were details too sensitive to send via owl.

"Quite well, papa. I've made a lot of friends in Slytherin house, and not so many in the other houses." Hermione told him, smoothing the skirt of her dress.

"And what do you think of them so far?" He queried her. He knew that it would become progressively more difficult to spy on these friends of hers as the years went on. He tried to remind himself that it was for the greater good that she did this.

Hermione pursed her lips. "Well, Theo Nott is quite nice to study with. He's got scores almost as good as mine." She told her father, proud of her midterm scores. "But the girls...there is a weakness in them. They are vapid and only enjoy gossiping." She revealed with a scowl. She _did_ like her friends, Daphne especially, but they sometimes grated on her nerves. Yes, she enjoyed having a girls' night in to paint toenails, but honestly, when did they do their homework? They always seemed to be too busy discussing Cassius Warrington's smile or Peregrine Derrick's tall, dark and handsomeness.

Her father smiled at her and ruffled her hair. "Hm, I think that you should just enjoy the gossip for now. Who knows, sometimes you can pick up the littlest details from gossip, and that could be useful to bring down you-know-who." Sirius knew that this task was enormous, and it was too much to ask of a child. He wanted to preserve as much of a carefree childhood as was possible for his daughter.

Hermione nodded, before leaning against her father, glad to be home, even if it was only for a few days. "Papa, is there a reason that Professor Snape wouldn't like me?" She asked, curious as to the reason.

She felt her father tense up, but then she heard him let out his familiar barking laugh. "Well, it's a long story, sweetheart. Snape and I have always been enemies. Maybe when you are a bit older, I can tell you more about it. He's treating you fairly, then?" That surprised Hermione. She had no idea that her father would have ever had someone that he counted as an enemy. It certainly made things seem incredibly interesting.

Hermione shrugged. "Sort of, I guess. I can tell he doesn't like me as much as my Slytherin compatriots. But...he still can't not give me an O when I produce the best potions in the class." She was trying not to brag, but her scores spoke for themselves.

Her father kissed her on the cheek. "That's my little swot. Come on, let's see what Kreacher has for us for dinner."

* * *

The rest of year passed without much interest to Hermione. She remembered her father's words, and tried not to get too frustrated with her friends. It was kind of fun to gossip with them, and they always seemed to know information that no one else did. Like that the Head Boy and Head Girl were engaged, or that Flora Carrow had accidentally grown a unibrow when she was trying to perform a glamour charm.

It wasn't until the end of the year feast, though, that she realized just what busy bees Harry Potter and his friends had been, right under all of their noses. It seemed that the Professors had been hiding the Philosopher's Stone off a room on the Third Floor. She couldn't believe that she hadn't even thought to look for that, when Professor Dumbledore specifically said that stretch of hallway was off limits.

It turned out that Professor Quirrell was trying to get the stone, and that Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Neville Longbottom had stopped him. Hermione thought that it was lucky that they'd brought Neville along. Apparently, they'd gotten stuck in some Devil's Snare, and without Neville's passion for Herbology, the three of them likely would have been dead.

Slytherin was supposed to have won the House Cup, but Headmaster Dumbledore gave the trio all kinds of house points, leading to a Gryffindor victory. Hermione knew that she should be happy that Harry Potter was alright, and that the 'good guys' really had won, she couldn't support the smug look on Weasley's face. It was only too easy to join into Draco's complaints about the Gryffindors and how unfair things were.

By the time that they rode the Hogwarts Express home, Hermione was still seething with the way that the Gryffindors were sauntering through the train. She had worked hard to earn all kinds of house points for Slytherin, only to have them erased because those three Gryffindors had broken the rules!

She rolled her eyes hearing Daphne mention that she found Harry Potter pretty heroic. With a promise to write her friends, she was looking forward to a Gryffindor free summer.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you all so much for continuing to favorite, follow and review! It means a lot to me! I have responded to chapter three reviews via PM. Here is chapter four, part one of second year. I would love to hear what you think! Be on the lookout for chapter five, soon!

Follow me on tumblr. My handle is nauticalparamour.

* * *

Hermione had had a wonderful summer with her father, but she was more ready than ever to get back to Hogwarts. Her father and she had spent part of the summer in France at their old house, enjoying the waves from the sea and the brilliant sunlight. She'd caught quite a tan in the weeks that they spent there.

She'd spent some of her time visiting Draco as well, but he was very preoccupied with his new friends, particularly Theo and Blaise. Hermione didn't mind Theo, but she thought that Blaise was always up to something, like she'd never be able to really relax around him. It seemed that the feeling was quite mutual as the boy couldn't stand to put up with her when she was "so swotty."

Daphne and she had traded loads of letters through the summer. Daphne would mostly complain about her little sister, Astoria, who was apparently a pain in the arse. Hermione had never met her, so she couldn't say for sure if it was true or not. She didn't have a sibling, but Draco was probably the closest thing she had to a brother, and he did get on her nerves sometimes. Recently, he'd been obsessed with Quidditch, much to Hermione's dismay. She liked him better when they tried to come up with new potions together.

Hermione and her father had gone to Diagon Alley on their own to pick up Hermione's textbooks, as the Malfoys had already gone. Apparently, Uncle Lucius said they had a most unpleasant run in with the Weasleys. Hermione couldn't say that she was surprised, from what she knew of Ronald Weasley. The best news was from Draco who said that Weasley had a little sister, who fancied herself in love with Potter.

She'd spent the final weeks before school more determined than ever to get more information. Voldemort had been living on one of her Professors all year last year, and she hadn't even noticed or heard a whisper about it. If she was going to make a difference at all, if she was going to be successful, she would need to be better than that.

Settling into her usual compartment on the Hogwarts express, she was soon joined by Daphne and Tracey. Pansy and Millie followed not much later. Hermione was sure that things with Pansy would always be strained, but she made every effort to cultivate the girl. You never knew who you could get great information from. Pansy was a wealth of gossip, but the best part was that she never seemed to realize everything that she'd given up.

"Hello Pansy, Millie. How was your summer?" She asked dutifully, though she doubted there would be much of interest.

Millie answered first. Hermione noted that she had grown at least two inches over the summer. "Father got me a cat." She said, pointing to the purring black lump in the cage shoved under her seat. Hermione looked at it's bright yellow green eyes and thought that it seemed a bit feral.

Pansy looked around the cabin with an air of superiority, her pug nose raised high in the air. "I spent the summer in Greece with my mother and sister. We spent nearly a month there." She paused, waiting for the other girls to coo over her trip. "Did you do anything interesting, Hermione?" She dutifully asked in response, perhaps thinking that she'd had a much better summer holiday than Hermione.

Hermione smiled sweetly at her roommate. "My father and I spent the majority of the summer at our house in the south of France. It was lovely to go out in the sun all day." Hermione knew that her father would hate the way she was bragging, but she knew it was the way that the Slytherin girls communicated. If she wanted to be one of them, she'd have to brag like them.

Pansy resisted a sneer. "Yes, I noticed you have such a lovely tan. You are so lucky."

Hermione shrugged. "It's where I grew up, so I was just happy to be back for a visit. It had been several years since I'd been for so long. I spent some other time with Draco, but he was quite busy as well." She could practically feel the envy rolling off Pansy in waves.

That news had Pansy _and_ Tracey sitting on the edge of their seats. "And how is your cousin?" Pansy asked, very intrigued, all pretense out the window.

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. As if Uncle Lucius would ever want Pansy for a daughter in law. If by some freak accident Pansy and Draco ever had a relationship, Hermione would have a few choice words to pass onto Aunt Narcissa. "He's quite interested in trying out for the Quidditch team this year. I think he'll make an excellent seeker."

Millie, who was probably the most interested in the actual Quidditch, nodded in agreement. "Of course. Surely he will make a much better seeker for Slytherin than Potter does for Gryffindor."

Hermione looked slyly at Daphne, who was doing a good job of playing her hair to distract from the blush on her cheeks. Hermione nodded. "I reckon that they can with the Quidditch cup with Draco as seeker."

Tracey and Pansy cooed that of course Draco would lead them to victory. Hermione finally cleared her throat. "But enough about Quidditch - sorry Millie - what's this I hear about Gilderoy Lockhart being our new Defense Professor?" Hermione had already read all of his books, and was embarrassed to admit, spent several hours staring at the moving covers of his books.

The girls' train ride devolved into excited giggles about their dreamy new professor. Before they knew it, they were back to Hogwarts.

* * *

Hermione was on a mission. She knew that she should be focusing on learning more about her classmate's families, but she found that her focus was entirely distracted by one Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. Merlin, he was so dreamy. She'd read through all of his assigned textbooks in a matter of days over the summer, but she so enjoyed hearing him speak in class.

Although, his teaching style left a little bit to be desired. He seemed to get rather flustered during lectures, when any kind of practical demonstration was required. Just last week, he'd left the classroom after letting loose a bunch of pixies! Surely, he was just trying to see how the students would react in an unexpected situation.

She'd stuck around to watch Weasley's nervous attempts at stunning the pixies, and couldn't help but laugh when the pixies strung up Neville Longbottom by his underwear from a chandelier. Only Potter seemed to have any idea of what to do.

Finally, taking pity on the trio of dim-witted Gryffindors, she immobilized all of the pixies, proudly reviewing her handiwork. She wondered if she should let Professor Lockhart know so that he could assign house points? After Weasley berated her for being a showoff and a bloody brown noser, though, the only thing on her mind was sharing how ridiculous his squeals sounded to Draco and his friends. "Honestly, I was looking to see who'd let the pig into the classroom."

Luckily for her, Daphne was more than willing to help Hermione stalk Professor Lockhart through the halls. Two days ago, Daphne had gone with her Professor Lockhart's office to discuss his time traveling with vampires. They had, unfortunately, been turned out when Harry Potter showed up for a detention. It seemed that Potter was just as famous as their professor, and so he had no time for silly girls.

Tonight, however, Professor Lockhart wasn't in his office, so the girls were wandering the halls and looking for a glimpse of their Professor, waxing about his dreaminess. "I know he's won all kinds of awards for his smile, but I think his blue eyes are his best feature." Daphne whispered.

Hermione grinned. "Of course he is nice to look at, but I love how intelligent he is as well. He's accomplished so much. I guess that's why he was placed in Ravenclaw. I heard that he was almost in Slytherin." Hermione kind of wished that her idolized Professor _had_ been a Slytherin.

"He wouldn't have done well in Slytherin." Daphne said confidently. "He's a half-blood, which is okay, I suppose. But, I've also heard that-" Her whispering got even quieter. Hermione was excited because she knew that it meant it was juicy gossip. "-his two older sisters are squibs. He wouldn't have been accepted well in our house." She flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

Hermione knew that was probably true. "Well, being a half-blood isn't the worst thing in the world. I'd never met one before I came to Hogwarts." She admitted to her friend. "Most of them seem alright, even though the ones like Potter make me question if they have all their marbles."

"Don't talk about Potter that way, Hermione." Daphne said with a bright blush on her cheeks. "He's not so bad. It's Weasley whose the poor influence for a friend. They give purebloods a bad name."

Hermione hmmed in agreement. "I wouldn't get your heart set on Potter, Daph. Haven't you seen his new girlfriend? Ginny Weasley. She follows him around like a lost puppy dog." Hermione said with a sneer. She thought it was quite distasteful for an eleven year old to pant over someone else like that. Weren't her brothers aware of their duties as chaperone while she was at school?

Daphne giggled. "Oh, you're one to talk...here we are following around Professor Lockhart!" Hermione joined in to laugh with her friend. She supposed it was pretty ridiculous. "And, I don't have my heart set on Potter...besides, daddy would freak out if I ever even tried to marry a _half-blood_."

Hermione frowned at that. "Do you already have a contract written?" Hermione knew that some families tried to get them arranged marriages as soon as possible, but she would be surprised if the Greengrasses did, seeing as they had two daughters to marry off. It was hard to know who would be the most advantageous match this early.

Daphne shook her head. "No, not yet. Daddy did tell me to try to find someone that would suit me from my classmates, but honestly, everyone in our year seems so...I don't know. I think it's a bit too early to be deciding. And who knows, Goyle could end up looking really fit after puberty."

Hermione looked scandalized. "Daphne! He'd still be dumb as rocks!" She couldn't imagine settling for someone like Crabbe or Goyle.

"What about you, Hermione? Do you have an agreement?" Daphne asked, her green eyes curious.

Hermione shook her head. "No, my father and I haven't discussed it yet. Though Uncle Lucius has commented that I would make a good bride." She frowned. She hoped that her papa wouldn't make her marry someone she didn't like, but she figured that he'd probably talk about it with her first. "Come on, let's get back to the Common Room. I have to finish my Charms essay."

* * *

Draco had been so excited to tell everyone that he had been appointed to the Slytherin team as seeker. Hermione happily hugged her cousin, proud of his accomplishment. Uncle Lucius had been so pleased, he'd bought brand new brooms for the whole team. It was quite a generous gift, and it was sure to give them a leg up on the competition.

Hermione always knew that Draco was an excellent flyer, so it wasn't too surprising that he would make the team. She promised him to come to every game he had, and a few practices as well, even though she loathed the sport. She would go to support her family. But, she hadn't promised not to bring a book along to pass the time!

That was how she found herself walking across the courtyard with the rest of the Slytherin team, and Draco's mates. She was glad that Theo would be there, so that she could chat with him about something interesting, instead of playing gobstones with the others.

They met the Gryffindor team in the courtyard, who were also on their way to practice. Too bad for them that Professor Snape had given them a permission slip to use the grounds, Hermione thought triumphantly. Weasley took the biggest issue with Draco being their new seeker. "He bought his way onto the team with new brooms?"

"At least Harry got onto the team with pure talent." The Weasley girl - or Weaslette, as the boys had taken to calling her - piped up next to them. She was a spiteful little thing.

Hermione rolled her eyes at them. "Draco is the seeker because he was the best at tryouts. As if Marcus would give up the best chance at winning for a couple of brooms." Hermione was annoyed that they would suggest that her cousin had no talent, when they hadn't even seen him fly before. "You're just jealous because the Slytherin team got an upgrade. What are you still using? Cleansweeps?"

That got a chuckle out of her Slytherin compatriots. Marcus had even preened under her assessment of his character. She knew that if the older boy was obsessed with one thing, it was winning at Quidditch.

Weasley, on the other hand, looked as though he might be having an aneurysm. She'd never seen someone's face go so red so fast. He brandished his wand pointing it directly at her. It made Hermione start laughing because she'd never seen such a badly damaged wand before. He hadn't even done a good job of taping it together.

"Ha, instead of worrying about other people's brooms and start worrying about affording a new wand, Weasley!" Draco laughed beside her.

"Oh yeah?" Weasley asked, pointing his wand to Draco. "Eat slugs!"

Hermione wasn't concerned at all about Weasley's spell. Didn't he know that spells _didn't_ work that way? Just then, though she saw his face turn a violent shade of green, and lean over heaving. He made a wet guttural noise, and then a fully formed slug dropped at his feet. Hmm, she guessed magic could work that way.

Potter and the Weaslette ushered a puking Weasley in the direction of Hagrid, the grounds keeper's hut. Hermione smirked. She didn't know what good that he would be able to do. Weasley should go to see Madame Pomfrey in the Infirmary, but then he would likely get in trouble for attacking another student.

Really, Hermione thought, she should tell her head of house. Weasley was liable to cause real damage with that wand of his, but she figured that this was punishment enough.

Content with the way that things had played out, she followed the rest of the Slytherins out onto the Quidditch pitch, before climbing up the benches with the rest of the boys. She'd brought a book investigating the differences between arithmancy and divination, so she was content to just read an lend Draco the support of her being here.

Still, she ended up spending most of her time chatting with Theo about what classes she was going to take next year. It would be important to make smart choices now, as it would affect which O.W.L.s and even which N.E.W.T.s that they'd be able to take in a few years.

Hermione knew it was a bit unpopular for a girl to be so interested in getting the best O.W.L. results in their year, but it was something that she wanted, so she was going to go after it. Anyone who tried to make her feel bad for it was just a sore loser.

* * *

The first indication that something was going wrong in Hogwarts occurred one night after dinner. Hermione was making her way to the library with Tracey and Daphne. The three girls had become quite close, leading to some jokes from people in other houses, mostly Gryffindors. Variations on a blonde, a brunette and a redhead. All focused on the perception that Daphne was a dumb blonde, which made Hermione quite angry.

While it was true that Daphne didn't have the natural talent for academics that Hermione did, she certainly wasn't dumb. She did study, and received quite acceptable marks - much better than Weasley did. It really annoyed Hermione, but Daphne didn't mind very much.

Tracey on the other hand, wasn't very studious at all, but always got her work done. Still, when there was a quiz coming up, she dutifully trudged to the library with her two friends to put in the time to get good marks. Tracey was very quiet when they'd first met, but Hermione soon learned that it was due to her being a half-blood. She was worried about being ostracized, so she was constantly sucking up the other girls in her year.

Hermione and Daphne didn't mind about Tracey's blood status, but they'd never explicitly discussed it. Pansy, on the other hand, always had a bit of an air around Tracey like she didn't completely trust her. Hermione figured that Pansy tolerated Tracey only because Hermione was her friend.

They were taking a shortcut to the library, when they stumbled on a wet hallway. "What happened here?" Daphne asked delicately trudging through the water not wanting to ruin her shoes.

"Should we go find a Professor?" Tracey asked, looking nervous.

Hermione shook her head, eager to see what had happened. "No, let's just walk a little bit further." She took the lead, walking through the standing water confidently, even though she had an eerie sense of foreboding.

When they turned the corner, they saw Harry Potter standing, looking stunned, in front of something that was levitating in the hallway. Hermione frowned, before asking out loud. "Is that Mrs. Norris?" She was confused. What was Potter doing with Filch's cat?

"Nevermind that!" Daphne squealed beside her. "Is that blood?" She was pointing to the wall that Potter was standing in front of. Daphne's squeal had gotten Potter's attention, and he turned, looking helpless and confused.

Before they could talk to him, more students came up behind them, fresh from dinner. Filch was walking down the hallway as well, and he gasped, seeing his cat's lifeless body hanging in the hallway. "You...killed my cat?" He asked, the rage already boiling under the surface.

Another student read the bloody message on the wall. "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware."

Even after the professors had shuffled everyone back to their own Common Rooms, the wheels in Hermione's head were already turning. What was the Chamber of Secrets? She'd read Hogwarts, A History several times, and couldn't remember anything being written about it in there. Also, who was the heir? And who were his enemies? She wanted to know everything to do with the Chamber of Secrets and the bloody message. She was certain that Potter wasn't the heir...he'd looked so perplexed standing in the hallway, and he'd been adamant that he hadn't done anything to Mrs. Norris.

Still, this sounded _exactly_ like what her papa would want her to look into. She wasn't sure if Voldemort was involved, but it sounded like dark magic. She was determined to get to the bottom of this. Last year, Voldemort had been living in the same castle as she was, and she'd failed to even notice that anything was wrong.

She wasn't going to let this slip through her fingers.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you so much for the continued support in favoriting and following this story! Huge thanks to everyone who reviewed as well! You are awesome. I will try to reply to chapter four reviews today.

A lot of people asked about the basilisk. As far as I can tell, the Serpent of Slytherin can kill/petrify anyone, regardless of blood status, however Tom Riddle only sent her after muggleborns. That's my interpretation at least.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter five! And be on the lookout for chapter six soon!

* * *

After the excitement of familiars being petrified, the school administration had agreed to let Professor Gilderoy Lockhart form a dueling club. There was no way that Hermione was going to skip out on that. Not only did she find Professor Lockhart incredibly dreamy, but she was eager to learn proper dueling. It could only help her, she reasoned to herself.

She made her way with Draco and his friends to the Great Hall for the first meeting. They were joined by Millie, but the rest of the Slytherin girls didn't want to join them, which didn't surprise Hermione too much. All of them were very much under the impression that they would never have a use for dueling. Hermione was surprised to see that Professor Snape was acting as an assistant. She didn't think that he liked that name very much, judging by the sour look on his face.

Her two professors agreed to a short demonstration, showing the way to bow and all that. Hermione gasped in shock though, when Professor Snape immediately disarmed Professor Lockhart, sending him flying back to land on his arse! Then he drawled, in that classic Snape way. "Perhaps we should teach the children to block unfriendly spells before unleashing them on each other."

Hermione pursed her lips together in concentration. Maybe Professor Lockhart wasn't as great as she'd thought. Of course, Professor Snape was a formidable opponent, but it seemed as though he'd caught Lockhart completely off guard. Not to mention that only Professor Snape seemed to have a game plan of how the lesson should go. She wished Professor Snape didn't loathe her so much, but she was slowly getting him to come around to her.

After they had separated into pairs, they practiced disarming and blocking each other's' spells. Hermione had paired up with Draco. Theo and Blaise paired, as did Crabbe and Goyle. Millie, being the odd one out, had paired with Lisa Turpin, a Ravenclaw in their year. They'd quickly abandoned wands, and Millie had the much smaller girl in a headlock. Hermione was glad that she'd gotten to pair with her cousin.

Before long, however, the Professors wanted to see a student demonstration. Potter and Draco were quick to be volunteered, and they met each other on the long table. Draco was smirking, excited to show off some of his skills. Of course, he and Hermione had been exposed to all sorts of hexes that you'd never learn at Hogwarts.

Hermione watched as the pair bowed at each other, but Draco struck before the count of three, which she thought was a bit of poor form, but she wouldn't have been surprised if Potter had done the same thing. She watched as they traded spells, each one getting progressively more aggressive, despite Professors Snape and Lockhart's instructions that they only try what was taught.

Potter's spell sent Draco sprawling, and Hermione could immediately see how annoyed that it had made him. She knew now that he meant business. She watched, surprised, her own hand tightening around her wand, when she saw Draco summon a snake from his wand. Just because she was a Slytherin didn't mean she loved snakes. She wasn't afraid of them, but she didn't like them either.

This snake, a large black one, slithered across the table, lashing out at students every now and again, but not actually hurting anyone. Potter looked panicked for a while - of course, how could he know how to get rid of it? - but soon, he began _hissing_ at it.

He immediately had the snake's attention, and it took Hermione a few moments to realize that Potter was _talking_ to the snake. How was it possible that Potter was a parselmouth? Her father hadn't mentioned that Potter's father was a parselmouth and she doubted that his mother, a muggleborn would be one either. Maybe her papa didn't know that James Potter had been one?

It was impossible to teach yourself without a teacher who was one. Hermione knew, because she'd researched it after being sorted into Slytherin last year. Not to mention, she doubted that Potter would have the dedication necessary to learn the language. Sometimes it seemed like he barely had a grasp on the English language.

The snake soon locked it's gaze on Justin Finch-Fletchley, a muggleborn student. Hermione heard the gasps of surprise, even as her head of house stepped in and obliterated the snake in a puff of black smoke. Was it possible that Potter _was_ the heir of Slytherin? How could he be if he was a Gryffindor? And why would he be going after the muggleborn students?

Hermione intended to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

"Please, can't you just write to Uncle Lucius and ask him? She said it had been opened once before and I bet your father will know something about it." Hermione pleaded with Draco for what felt like the one hundredth time. She didn't see why he was being so annoying about it!

Hermione asked Professor McGonagall about the Chamber of Secrets during their last Transfiguration lesson. The Scottish Professor had looked cross at Hermione for asking about it, but had given them some sparse information. Not nearly enough for Hermione's liking. It was annoying.

"No, if you are so intent on getting more information, why don't you just write him yourself?" Draco asked, trying to play Wizard's chess with Blaise. He didn't need Hermione's academic distractions. She was so dull sometimes, he thought to himself. Who did outside research in their spare time?

Hermione whined in annoyance. "You _know_ he would never tell me. And then I'd get a strongly worded message from your mother telling me it isn't ladylike to go researching ancient chambers." She didn't know why he was insisting on being so unfair about this.

Draco snorted, knowing that her assessment of his mother was correct. "Exactly, Hermione, it isn't ladylike. Why are you so obsessed with the Chamber anyway?" He took a brief moment to let his gray eyes flicker over her form. She looked frazzled. Whenever she got a bit stressed, her hair seemed to take on a mind of its own and seemed a bit wild.

"Don't you want to find out who the heir is?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening, shocked that Draco didn't seem to care. She had to find out who the heir was, so she could tell her father. She wouldn't fail this time.

Draco set back down the pawn that he was holding in his hand. "Not really, not when they are doing Slytherin's noble work. Sure, so far the mudbloods have only been petrified, but sooner or later one of them is going to end up dead." He watched Hermione's sharp inhale of breath. "See, this is why you shouldn't worry about it so much. One mention of death and you clam up."

Hermione resented his implication that she wasn't strong enough to handle a bit of death. She was strong enough, stronger than Draco for sure, he just couldn't know about the secrets that she harbored. Also, she hated the way he seemed to treat the death of a fellow student so _casually_. She thought about just walking away, but she couldn't help herself from egging on his animosity with Potter. "What if it's Potter?"

"It's _not_ Potter, I can guarantee you that. Didn't you hear that he and Weasley and Longbottom got detention, trying to break into the Slytherin common room? They thought that _I_ was the heir." Draco said with a cruel smirk. Hermione thought that Draco would rather have liked to have been the heir of Slytherin. "How they were so stupid to think that they could actually get in here is beyond me. I only wish I'd been there when Professor Snape caught them."

Blaise chuckled along with the thought. Hermione did find it humorous, but she thought it might also be a clever ruse. "But maybe he was just trying to deflect suspicion from himself? You know all the Hufflepuffs think it's him, too." She argued, unwilling to drop it.

"I wouldn't trust _anything_ that the Hufflepuffs think, Hermione. Surely you are smarter than that?" Draco said, his eyes a bit concerned. "And Potter's not tricky enough to pull that off either. Now, stop asking me about it or I am going to think that you're in love with him or something."

"I am NOT in love with him." Hermione said, putting her hands on her hips. The idea that she was in love with Potter was simply revolting. He was so annoying.

"I don't know...you are awfully obsessed." Draco said, his blond eyebrows knitted together. "And I know your father has come around, but I know he was quite close to Potter's father. You aren't going soft on me, now?" He asked, this time taking the time to actually look at her, to read her reactions.

Hermione let a breath out of her nose, annoyed with her cousin. "I am NOT in love with him." She repeated before turning on her heel and leaving Draco behind to laugh with Blaise.

Theo came up to them, seeing them snicker, and Hermione's angry insistence had him curious. "Who is Hermione not in love with?" He asked, pulling around a chair so that he could watch the game.

"Potter." Draco told him, and smirked at the shocked and disgusted face that Theo gave him. "She's just been obsessed with who the heir of Slytherin is, and the Chamber of Secrets. She's upset that I won't ask my father about it." Draco rolled his eyes, before capturing Blaise's rook.

Theo seemed a bit placated. "Good, I was thinking she'd lost her marbles there for a moment." He told Draco, before biting his lip. Theo couldn't help but think that Draco was being a bit irrational about this. "You shouldn't tease her so much though. She's so stubborn she might end up liking Potter just to make you annoyed." He knew that Hermione was really stubborn, but he didn't think she could force herself to like anyone she didn't.

Draco's eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. "You don't think she would really do that, do you?" As much as he and Hermione annoyed each other, he did love his cousin. He didn't want to have to disown her if she went out with Potter. His mother would be sorely disappointed as well.

Theo shrugged his shoulders. "She's your cousin, you know her best. In any case, I find the Chamber of Secrets fascinating. You shouldn't disparage her for being curious." Theo lightly scolded, knowing that Draco hated being told what to do.

Instead, his blond friend just shook his head. "Merlin, I forgot that you're just as swotty as she is."

* * *

Hermione was surprised the first time that he came to help her in the library. Theo Nott, with his neatly combed light brown hair and wiry frame, appeared at her table with a huge dusty tome. "I thought that you might find this useful in your quest to find out more about the Chamber of Secrets. It's a book on the lineages of the founders."

He set the book in front of her, a cloud of dust pushed from his pages. Before Hermione could even thank him, he'd sat next to her, and began paging through it for the section on Salazar Slytherin. "What are you doing?" She asked, perplexed.

Theo smiled at her, showing off pearly white teeth. "You didn't think that I was going to let you find out who the heir of Slytherin is all on your own, did you?" He smiled and returned to reading, finally relaxing when she rose to her knees so that she should read from the book as well.

She was pleasantly surprised by how great of a research partner he actually was. She knew that Theo was smart, as he had the second best scores in their year, but he was one of Draco's friends, so she just figured that he would be flippant about outside research. Those boys seemed allergic to putting in any extra effort. Theo never complained about all of the reading that they had to do, and he took really immaculate notes. He didn't mind the late nights in the library, and had dutifully accepted the one detention they'd received when they'd got caught up in a book, and had been out after curfew.

When they had a lead on a book that would likely be useful, but it was only available in the restricted section, Theo had written to his father, who was only too happy to owl him the copy from their family library. "The library at the manor is stuffed full of books. I always spend a lot of time there, being an only child and since my...my mother died." He admitted.

His green eyes were wide and concerned that he'd shared too much with her, but Hermione just gave him a smile and a squeeze on the arm. "I do it too. It's just my father and I at Grimmauld Place, but the library isn't that big. Still, papa always lets me get whatever books that I want." They had a lot more in common than either one had imagined. He understood some things that Draco had never been able to.

So, when she'd skived out of dinner to research, she was surprised that she'd _actually_ made some headway on her - their - research. She simply hadn't been expecting to stumble across the answers while reading about exotic beasts. Of course a basilisk made sense! It was Salazar Slytherin, after all.

She looked around the library and found it predictably empty, as everyone else was at dinner. Biting her lip, knowing that this was too juicy not to share with her friend, she tore the page with the bit on the basilisk out of the book, and hastily wrote the word 'pipes' in the margin. How else would a giant snake move about the castle undetected?

Packing up her bag, she grabbed a little compact mirror that she'd gotten for Christmas from Narcissa, just in case. Hauling the heavy bag over her shoulder, she left the library, eager to share with Theo the great break she'd made in the case. She wondered if they'd get any house points for figuring it out? Surely the Headmaster would be glad to learn what _exactly_ was terrorizing the school.

Even if it came from the mouth of a Slytherin.

Making her way down the hall, she was distracted by a grumbling in her stomach. She shouldn't have decided to skip dinner, but she couldn't help herself. Hermione decided to take the shortcut so that she could get there faster. Merlin, Theo was going to be so excited when she showed him.

Turning down the hallway, she didn't even notice the standing water until she was ankle deep. Her heart beat a little bit faster. Surely it was just a coincidence? Maybe Myrtle had flooded the bathroom again? The basilisk wouldn't be out hunting now...there was no one else out in the hallway, no one but her. She pulled a compact mirror from her bag.

The sound of slithering through water had her cringing, clinging to the little mirror. She knew that she couldn't turn around unless she wanted to end up dead, so she'd have to use the mirror, and hope that she didn't make eye contact with the beast.

Positioning the mirror, she found nothing behind her. Just as she was about to sigh in relief, a green blur thrust itself around the corner, and the last thing she saw was a pair of yellow, glowing eyes.

* * *

When Hermione woke up, she was groggy and confused. Just how long had she been petrified for? Of course, she had been petrified by the basilisk. She was glad that she had that consciousness of mind to carry a mirror with her. Well, more like that Narcissa insisted that a lady always be able to look at her appearance to make sure she had nary a hair out of place.

Trying to sit up, she saw her father slumped over in a chair, probably having fallen asleep, watching over her. She gave a soft smile, hoping that she hadn't worried him too much. "Papa?" She asked, tentatively, wanting to wake him gently.

He stirred in the chair, before blinking his gray eyes awake. Once they settled on her smiling face, he choked back a little sob, before standing and wrapping her up in his arms. "Oh, Hermione. I am so glad that you are alright." He kissed the top of her head. "I don't know what I'd do without you." It was true. He had lost so much already, he couldn't imagine losing the only good thing left in his life.

Hermione swallowed thickly, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. "Don't worry, papa. I'm not going anywhere." She said, smiling when he wiped the tears from her cheeks. Tears she didn't know had escaped. Her eyes adjusted, seeing the calendar on the wall. "Merlin! Is it really June already? Do I still have time to take exams?" She asked, desperate.

Hearing her concern, Sirius burst out laughing. "No, Hermione. Exams were canceled this year." He watched in amusement as a frown grew on her face. She was so different to him, but he wouldn't change her. "Slytherin were a close second in the house cup, but Gryffindor won." Her father told her. "Your little boyfriend, Nott, wanted me to tell you that he made sure you were awarded house points for identifying the basilisk. But Gryffindor still edged you out."

Hermione blushed. "Theo's not my boyfriend. He's just my study partner." She insisted. She was glad that she was able to help out Slytherin, even if she was unconscious for months. It was also nice of Theo to stand up for her, to make sure she got the house points.

"Well, he dropped off a pack of sugar quills for you." Sirius said, amused. He handed her the candy, and ruffled her hair as she murmured that they were her favorite. It was awfully thoughtful of a study partner to know what her favorite kind of candy was.

"So, who was the heir of Slytherin?" Hermione asked, truly curious. Was it Potter? Would she had to console her papa?

"A first year was possessed by a diary, belonging to Voldemort as a teenager." Sirius said, concern sweeping over her face. Clearly the knowledge that Voldemort had been in the castle, even tied to a diary was concerning. "Ginny Weasley I think she's called."

Hermione frowned, her nose crinkled in confusion and disappointment. That hadn't been what she expected at all.

* * *

She wasn't entirely sure how, but Hermione had talked her father into letting her ride the train home from Hogwarts. She was positive that he'd rather she just have flooed home with him, but she'd missed months with her friends, already, and she wanted to hear everything that she missed.

When she pulled up to the compartment where Daphne and Tracey were sitting, Pansy and Millie had already invaded their space. "Well look who it is...Hermione _Black_." Pansy practically drawled.

"Something you'd like to say to me, Pansy?" Hermione asked, annoyed. "You're not very good at expressing yourself with subtlety." She jibbed, seeing the flinch at her tone. If there was one thing that a Slytherin should be, it was subtle.

"I just thought that it was suspicious." Pansy said, dark eyes narrowed on Hermione. "That the basilisk would petrify _you_ if you really were a pureblood. I mean, Slytherin wanted to rid the castle of mudbloods, not purebloods."

Hermione began laughing, happy that she'd mentally prepared for this confrontation. "Do you honestly think that the basilisk was properly controlled in the hands of _Ginny Weasley_?" Hermione asked. "You think that she was capable of controlling such a powerful beast? I am surprised that she didn't kill more people on accident. It's just more proof that Weasleys are worthless. They can't even manage the simplest of tasks." She drawled, copying Draco's tone.

Daphne smiled at her friend. "Don't worry about Pansy, Hermione. She just thought that you being in the hospital wing meant that she was the most popular girl in Slytherin house." Daphne looked like an angel with her blonde hair shining in the sunlight streaming in through the window.

"Yeah, and now that you are back, she has to go back to just being one of us." Tracey said with a big grin.

Hermione smiled at her friends. "I am not the most popular girl in Slytherin. Everyone knows that's Gemma Farley." She said with a smirk. The girl was certainly popular with all the guys in Slytherin, and apparently some of the Ravenclaws, too. Finally, Hermione felt a little bad for Pansy, but the girl had already been horribly mean to her twice. "But really, Pansy, I would keep your mouth shut...do you really want to go offending the ancient and noble house of Black?"

Pansy thought about it, clearly understanding the threat. Narcissa Malfoy and by extension, Draco, were also members of the Black family. Pansy finally nodded, obviously having made her decision. Hermione was pleased. "Alright girls, then tell me everything I missed while I was in the hospital wing!"

The five girls gossiped all the way back to London. Hermione couldn't wait to see what the summer and what the next school year held in store for her after such an eventful second year.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites and follows! It means so much to have your continued support. I will respond to chapter reviews from five today - I am still catching up, but wanted to get the next chapter out! Here is the beginning of year three, which will be told in three parts.

I am currently working on plotting out year six, so let me know if there is anything in particular you would like to see. You can reach out to me here, or on my tumblr (nauticalparamour). Please let me know what you think of chapter six and be on the lookout for chapter seven soon!

* * *

The summer passed in pleasant slowness, Hermione and her father once again spending several weeks in the South of France. She'd even traded up to a bikini, though she got the impression that her father wasn't terribly pleased with all of the skin that it showed off.

So, she shouldn't have been too surprised that he'd called in reinforcements. Hermione had flooed off to Malfoy Manor, expecting to see Draco before school started. Instead, she found herself across the table from her Aunt Narcissa, having some tea. Hermione frowned into her cup. "Will Draco be joining us?" She liked her Aunt, but she still didn't really want to spend her afternoon with her.

Narcissa gave Hermione a placid smile. "I thought that the two of us could have a little chat, just us girls." Hermione nodded, a knot forming in her stomach. "You are going to be fourteen shortly. You've grown up so fast and into such a lovely woman."

"Thank you, Aunt Narcissa." Hermione said. She didn't really think that she'd changed that much...sure, her breasts had swelled, and she'd grown a bit taller, but she still felt like a girl.

"I imagine that...a lot of things are changing for you." Narcissa said, clearly not sure how to proceed. "Have you had your...your menses yet?" A bright red blush stained the woman's cheeks.

A bright blush also formed on Hermione's face. She didn't want to talk about this. "No, I haven't." Hermione said. Not everyone in her year had gotten theirs yet. Millie had gotten hers first, followed by Tracey, right before school was out. But, as far as she knew, Daphne and Pansy hadn't had theirs yet either.

"I'll lend you a book." Narcissa said, pushing it across the table. "It has some cleansing spells and a few healing potions you can brew if you should experience any cramping." She was silent for a moment, while Hermione looked over the book. "I know that it might seem scary right now, Hermione, but it really is an exciting time in your life. It means that you are becoming a woman."

Hermione frowned. "I don't feel much like a woman." She felt awkward and gangly.

"I remember feeling the same. Like an awkward duckling one night." Narcissa smiled at her, her perfectly coiffed blonde hair shining in the sunlight. "And a beautiful swan the next. Soon boys will be lining up to take you to Hogsmeade. But...as exciting as it might seem, you must remember to keep a good reputation, so that your father can make a good match for you."

Hermione was annoyed. She didn't think that her father would force her to marry someone that she didn't want to, but she supposed she wasn't sure. It would be unusual if he didn't, and she had no idea their farce of a life would have to continue. "I don't think you need to worry about boys, Aunt Narcissa. I'm just Hermione Black. Bookworm."

"Now, don't sell yourself short, Hermione." Narcissa said softly, tucking a strand of curly hair behind her niece's ear. "You are going to be breaking boys hearts before long. You are a Black and so pretty and intelligent. You are a catch." Suddenly, Narcissa sat up, the tenderness of the moment ruined. "Just, don't be afraid to ask Draco to act as a chaperone. He knows what his responsibilities are as well."

"Yes, thank you Aunt Narcissa." Hermione said, wishing she could just disappear into the table. She couldn't believe that her father had asked her to talk to her about this. "I don't know why my father couldn't talk about this with me." She said, more to herself. She thought that the two of them were so close.

"Well darling, you know that this is something your mother would normally talk to you about. I think that he thought you might be a bit more comfortable talking girl to girl." Hermione nodded. She supposed that she would have liked to talk about this with a girl, rather than her father. He didn't have the appropriate parts, and she he didn't really _know_ what going through it would be like. "Now, why don't you take the book and head on home?"

Feeling effectively dismissed, Hermione gathered the book and made her way back to the Floo so that she could return to Grimmauld Place. Honestly, reading about it from a book was probably less traumatizing than her Aunt Narcissa going into the particulars.

* * *

"Sweetheart, can you come down here?" Sirius called up the stairs to his teenage (he cringed internally still) daughter. "I have something that I want to give you before we leave for the train station." Hermione's trunk was already waiting in the entrance hall for him to shrink and carry to King's Cross.

He heard her door close, followed up the rush of feet down the stairs to where he was waiting. He smiled, seeing her dressed nicely for the trip. Although he still secretly hated the polished perfection that was expected of purebloods, he thought that Hermione looked beautiful dressed in neatly pressed dresses, and hair curling wildly around her shoulders. It was the one part of her that couldn't be tamed into submission, a little bit of his wild streak in her. "Yes papa?" She asked expectantly.

"I got a little something special for you." He told her with a grin before stepping aside, revealing an half-cat half-Kneezle in a little cage. "A new familiar." He knew most girls would prefer a kitten, but as soon as he saw the cat with it's squished face and surly disposition, he just knew it was right for Hermione.

Hermione gasped, and for a moment he'd worried he'd made the wrong decision. "Oh, I love him!" She cried, rushing to the edge of the cage to let the orange fluff ball out. She didn't even mind his bandy legs. "I'm going to call him Crookshanks." The cat seemed to agree, seeing as he began to purr so loudly that even Sirius could hear it. The sound made his hair stand on end, a side effect of being an animagus.

She set the cat back down, and turned to wrap her father in a tight hug. "Thank you so much, papa. I will take such good care of Crookshanks."

Sirius returned the hug, so glad to have his little girl safe. "I know you will." Though, she wasn't so little any more. She'd seemed so helpless, lying in the infirmary at Hogwarts. Despite knowing from personal experience that Madame Pomfrey was an accomplished healer, he still worried about Hermione constantly while she was laying their petrified.

And he felt a bit guilty, seeing that she'd been so focused on finding out if Voldemort was somehow involved in the Chamber of Secrets being opened. Of course her instincts had been right, but she could have been killed. He worried that she wasn't getting the full experience of being a happy, carefree child. He supposed no Black really could be, but he wanted it for her none the less.

He pulled back and placed his hands on the sides of her head so that she'd look at him. "Now, listen here, Hermione. I know that you have the utmost respect for our cause and you want to do everything that you can to help, but..." He trailed off, letting her see that he wasn't disappointed in her at all. "I just want you to focus on having _fun_ this year. You're only a teenager once, and I worry sometimes that I'm...asking too much from you."

Hermione scowled. "Papa, I _want_ to help-"

Sirius cut her off. "You will have time to help, you've helped already. How many other thirteen year olds can claim to have discovered the oldest basilisk in the world?" He asked, and relaxed seeing her smile. "Just remember to take time for yourself, and have fun. That's all I ask."

Hermione nodded eagerly. She supposed that she had been neglecting her friends before she'd been petrified last year. Even though she found the other girls' blind loyalty to pureblood society annoying, they did have their bright spots. "Alright Papa. I will."

* * *

When Hermione arrived at the platform, she was quickly shuffled off with Draco to get on the train. It wasn't proper for Blacks to have emotional displays in public, as Narcissa was so fond to remind them, so Hermione and Sirius prefered to say goodbye to one another properly at home, rather than suffer Narcissa's disappointed looks.

Draco helped her load her belongings onto the train, with his own. When she settled into his compartment, she opened Crookshanks's cage, and settled the ginger cat onto her lap so that he could look out the window.

"What is _that_?" Draco asked, finally looking at his cousin with a giant cat on her lap. It was a pretty ugly cat, in Draco's opinion.

Just as Hermione was about to answer, Blaise and Theo entered the compartment as well. Blaise flopped into the seat across from Hermione and immediately started laughing. "Merlin, Black! Please tell me that's not _your_ familiar."

Hermione scowled, but Draco beat her to answering. "I was just asking her about it. She didn't have it this summer when she came to visit. Did you pick up a stray?" Her cousin asked her with that mean little smirk he wore when he was teasing someone.

Seeing his cousin take a deep breath, Draco briefly worried that he'd made a horrible miscalculation. " _This_ is Crookshanks. He's my new familiar and he's very intelligent, so I wouldn't offend him. Crooks is part Kneezle, aren't you Crooks?"

The boys watched in surprise as the cat seemed to meow in agreement.

"Why couldn't you just get a kitten like a normal witch?" Blaise asked, clearly never having fought with Hermione before, as he rarely spent time with her, finding her a little bit annoying. She had the Black family temper, and an Aunt who was only too keen on teaching nasty little jinxes and hexes.

A dark look came over her face. "I'll have you know that Crookshanks was a present from my father, and I wouldn't have any other cat. He's perfect. He's beautiful." Hermione scratched the great purring lump behind the ears, and the boys watched as it pushed its head into her hand, clearly loving the attention.

"Hermione." Draco said, trying to keep a straight face, until he dissolved into a fit of laughter at his cousin's expense. "It's a hideous cat."

Hermione looked upset, and Theo, who'd been quiet through the whole exchange, finally piped up, seeing his distress. "Don't worry, Hermione. I think that Crookshanks looks...stately." Theo offered. He wasn't sure if that was the best word to describe the cat, but it seemed to do the trick as Hermione brightened at his words.

"Thank you, Theo." Hermione responded, and Crookshanks seemed to meow his thanks as well. What an odd companion for Hermione to have, Theo thought, but it did seem to suit her in an odd kind of way. He certainly couldn't imagine her with a pure white kitten like Pansy would ask for. Crookshanks looked quite at home sitting in her lap like a prince. "What classes are you taking this year?"

Her question drew his gaze from the cat and to her warm brown eyes. For a moment his breath left him. Had Hermione always had such pretty eyes? "Err, the usuals. And Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures and I am still trying to decide between Ancient Runes and Divination." He said, knowing his friends thought him a prat for taking an additional elective. But, if anyone would appreciate it, it would be Hermione.

"I think you could probably skip out on Divination." Hermione said with a convinced tone. "The class is a load of rubbish! I don't think you can teach it...either you have the sight or you don't. Plus Professor Trelawney seems like a bit of a lush doesn't she?"

Blaise made an affronted noise. Clearly he was planning on taking Divination. "Divination is _not_ rubbish. Mother's been known to use it, and she definitely isn't spouting off any prophecies." He said, his dark eyes flashing.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't lie. You're just taking it because you think it will be an easy elective. That you won't have too much homework."

Draco gave her a wide grin. "And just what's wrong with that?" Sometimes Hermione took school too seriously.

"I don't think your father would appreciate you just taking a class because it's easy." Hermione argued, thinking about Uncle Lucius. He was notoriously difficult to please. She knew that Uncle Lucius liked her, but he wasn't at all pleased with her father, even all these years gone by, for his behavior when he was a teenager.

"I don't think that father would be pleased to see you being proud of such a hideous familiar." Draco snarked back.

Hermione snapped her mouth closed. Draco had taken things a bit too far. "If you are going to insist on acting like a five year old, I will go find the girls." Hermione stood and shuffled Crookshanks into his cage. From the look he gave the three boys, they very much got the impression that Crooks did _not_ like them.

Hermione left the compartment, in a huff. Before slamming the compartment door shut, she couldn't resist one last barb. "If I see Vince and Greg I will send them your way. I am sure their conversation will be much more...up to speed...with yours than mine."

* * *

The welcome feast was one that Hermione looked forward to all year. She loved seeing the nervous first years getting sorted, and welcoming the new Slytherin additions. She also loved getting to see who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was for the year. So far, she couldn't tell much about Professor Lupin, though he seemed rather thin and tall.

Just as she was giggling with Daphne and Tracey at the state of Gemma Farley's hair, which seemed to have been charmed to hold static electricity by one of the older boys, Professor Snape approached the table. "Miss Black. Please meet me in my office when you've completed your dinner."

Hermione swallowed thickly. Could she have gotten in trouble with her dour teacher already? She wanted Professor Snape to like her, even if he hadn't gotten along with her father. He seemed to be so brilliant, and she was one of the few students who could appreciate that. Shouldn't he realize that she was one of the competent ones and seek to cultivate her potions skills.

"In trouble already, Hermione?" Pansy asked, trying to sound innocent. The pug faced girl was always toeing the line with Hermione, and it really annoyed her. She wanted to shut her up once and for all.

"I am sure it's about the number of electives that I requested." Hermione said nonchalantly. "I better get going. I don't want to leave Professor Snape waiting."

Hermione made the short walk to the dungeons in record time. She crept along the dark, empty hallway in a practiced way that was indicative of someone who'd been sorted into Slytherin. Knocking on the door to Professor Snape's office, she entered when he called out, and took a seat across from his imposing desk. With her ankles neatly crossed, and her knees together, Hermione smoothed out her uniform skirt, making sure that she wasn't a wrinkle out of dress code. She looked up at the dark fathomless eyes of her Professor. "You asked to see me, Professor Snape?"

Snape looked her over, and gave her look that was something between a sneer and a smirk. It seemed that he appreciated her attention to detail and being a good Slytherin student, but also still not liking her. "Quite. Yes, I wanted to discuss your class schedule with you." He was silent for a beat, probably enjoying watching her squirm. "Your request to use a time turner to take the additional electives has been...denied by the ministry."

Hermione took a deep breath. Even though she didn't think much of Divination, she'd still wanted to take it, just to see if she'd perhaps had a gift. The only problem was that it overlapped with Ancient Runes, and she couldn't be in two places at once. The only solution seemed to be using a Time Turner, but those were heavily regulated by the Ministry. "I don't understand. I have the highest scores by a considerable margin in my year, and I have proved to be a responsible and conscientious student."

"I did argue in your favor, Miss Black, but a certain...Transfiguration teacher thought that given your age...you shouldn't be trusted with such an artifact." Snape said, his eyes gauging her reaction.

"But that isn't fair!" Hermione burst out. She couldn't believe that Professor McGonagall, who her father spoke of so fondly, would argue against her using it. She was leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else in Transfiguration, and she'd never had a single disciplinary issue in her class.

Snape shrugged, allowing her to see some of his regret on the subject. "Life...unfortunately...isn't fair, Miss Black." He took a deep breath, as though to steady himself, his dark eyes glinting in the light of his office. "I think...sometimes...people are too quick to assign the traits of your father on you. You might not know this, but he was a bit of a...troublemaker in his Hogwarts days." His words were measured carefully. "But perhaps people are blinded by your house. Slytherins are not well liked, even in the face of good qualities that they might possess."

Hermione was confused. Was Professor Snape trying to apologize to her for prejudging her? Had he still been assigning her father's faults to her? It was comforting to hear that he thought that she was competent enough to handle a time turner. It was certainly high praise coming from him, the likes of which she'd never received.

The silence seemed to stretch on for hours before he spoke again. "I need to know which class you will be dropping, now that we cannot accommodate your requested schedule."

"Divination." Hermione didn't even need to think about it. "It was probably going to be a load of rubbish anyway." She sighed, upset that she was being held back in her studies, just because she was a Slytherin.

She saw Professor Snape's lips purse, as though he was trying to stop a smile. "Excellent choice, Miss Black. Now, run along to the Common Room. It's nearly curfew."

Hermione left his office and made her way back to her dorms, trying not to be too upset that her year was already off to a rocky start.

* * *

Hermione Black had a crush on Professor Lupin. At first, she thought that he was very unremarkable, as he seemed to shrink back so that no one would notice him. But after the first Defense class, Hermione couldn't help but notice him.

He wasn't anything like the perfectly coiffed Gilderoy Lockhart - who turned out to be an awful fraud - but instead seemed rugged and wild. When you first looked at him, you might think him rather thin, but Hermione had been mesmerized by the muscle you could see moving under his threadbare clothes. Sometimes, he even pushed up his sleeves and exposed his forearms in class.

He seemed a bit older, his hair already streaked with gray, but Hermione thought he looked distinguished. His green eyes, though, were bright and alive, and seemed to hint at mischief. He was brilliant at giving lectures, and Hermione found herself on the edge of her seat, eager to listen to whatever he was talking about. He could read a recipe book, and Hermione thought she'd probably enjoy it.

Classes were interesting, nothing like the chaos of the year before. Professor Lupin made sure that they got a lot of practice with defensive spells, and he didn't seem to have any biases toward any particular house.

He was so intelligent, Hermione thought that he must have been a Ravenclaw. He was so knowledgable on a wide variety of topics, and never seemed annoyed if Hermione stayed after class to ask questions. He'd patiently answer each and everyone, elaborating and even lending her a book or two. Sometimes, she would catch him looking at her strangely, as though she reminded him of someone else, but she couldn't possibly think of who that would be.

Still, as overwhelming as her crush was, she resolved not to tell anyone about it, not even Daphne. She'd more or less embarrassed herself the year before, having such a crush on Gilderoy Lockhart, and she couldn't stand anymore teasing from her friends. She knew that they would never under stand the attraction, as he wasn't the kind of attractive that a Slytherin should want.

She couldn't even imagine if Draco found out about it. He clearly didn't like Professor Lupin, as he was always calling him shabby or poor. Hermione would roll her eyes at that. Draco thought that everyone who had less money than he did was poor. He probably thought that Hermione and her father were poor!

Hermione was a bit worried that Draco was beginning to notice that Hermione might have a crush on the Professor because he'd asked what was wrong with her when she was sighing in class and making doe eyes at him. She hadn't even noticed that she was doing it until Draco had mentioned it. And, he'd called her out for putting on lip gloss before Defense class before. Hermione had never been more embarrassed, as he'd done it in front of Blaise, Theo, Vince and Greg. The five of them barely registered that she was a girl, and it had made her cheeks go red when Draco had asked why she was putting on makeup.

Even when Draco came by to apologize later that day, her self-esteem was still hurting. What was so wrong with her wanting to be seen as a girl?

It was that main reason that she wouldn't let anyone know about her little crush _this_ time. Though her resolve didn't stop her from watching Professor Lupin - discretely - whenever she got the chance.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Wow! We've reached 300 follows and over 100 favorites! That seriously means so much to me! Thanks to everyone who favorited or followed and thank you so much to the reviewers! I love reading them. I was so pleased that everyone is enjoying Hermione's little crush. She certainly has a type, doesn't she?

Please let me know what you think of chapter seven, and be on the lookout for chapter eight soon!

* * *

With her crush on Professor Lupin, it was no surprise that Hermione was able to read through the lines and determine what Professor Snape was trying to tell them when he subbed for the other Professor in Defense.

Really, though, his name was _Remus Lupin_. With her extensive childhood studies in Latin, how could she not have seen before what was so obvious? He was a werewolf! He always missed classes around the full moon, and it surely explained the scars on his face, which Hermione thought made him look quite rugged. He was nothing like the pretty face Lockhart had been.

She hadn't seen or heard anything on werewolf attacks since he'd started at school, so Hermione thought that maybe it wasn't so bad for him to be at Hogwarts. If he was dangerous they would have already found out about it, right? Further, Hermione didn't think werewolves were inherently bad...they were perfectly human 28 days out of the lunar cycle, and the other day...well, it seemed as though not _all_ of them were threats. She didn't think that she should tell Headmaster Dumbledore about the man's condition in any case. Professor Snape clearly knew, so surely he'd have alerted the Headmaster if there were any concerns.

Finally, she had decided to tell her father over winter break. Even though she didn't think all werewolves were bad people, it was no secret that Voldemort had utilized werewolf packs during the last war, and there was a real possibility that he could be working for someone aligned with Voldemort. This could be the break that she was waiting for - the break to prove that her intelligence was good, and she was an asset to the cause.

She waited until she'd settled back into Grimmauld Place to broach the subject. The first night was always spent having dinner at Malfoy Manor in an uncomfortable tension as Narcissa tried to gloss over the fact that Lucius and Sirius didn't get along and that Lucius was disappointed in Draco's marks. Conversation was always stilted, and Narcissa did most of the talking.

Once Kreacher had been sent away, and Hermione and her father were just enjoying a casual meal together, she decided to bring up the topic. Well, her papa did really, asking her about her classes. "We have another new Defense Professor this year." She mentioned, not surprised when it didn't catch his attention.

"That position has been cursed since before I started school. No one seems to be able stick around longer than a year." He said, barely looking up from his mushy peas. "What's this one like?" Hermione briefly wondered if he was really interested or if he was just doing that dad thing of getting to her to talk, and listening for anything out of the ordinary.

"Well, I think that he's a rather good Professor." Hermione said darkly, a bit annoyed that her teacher seemed destined to change from year to year. "It would be nice to have the same Professor next year rather than having to completely switch teaching styles every year." She set down her fork, not sure if she could just come out and say it. "This one is interesting though...I...I am worried that he might be working for Voldemort or a sympathetic party."

That certainly got her papa's attention. He set his fork and knife down with a clatter, then focused his quicksilver eyes on her. "What makes you think that?" He asked, not seeming like he didn't trust her, just that he wanted to understand her logic.

"Well, I am fairly certain that he's a werewolf. Actually, I am all but positive that he is a werewolf." Her papa looked like he was about to speak. "Now, I don't think that all werewolves are dark or anything...but, I don't know, don't you think it's a bit convenient? Plus, we know that Voldemort has gotten into the castle before on the back of a Defense Professor." Hermione still smarted at not recognizing Voldemort on the back of Professor Quirrel's head.

Her father was quiet for a while, weighing her words. "Who else have you told about this?" He finally asked her.

"Only you. I thought about going to Professor Dumbledore, but...well, it was actually Professor Snape who hinted at the Defense Professor's condition one day while he was subbing. I just figured that Professor Snape would have told the Headmaster, and to keep my information close." She explained to him, hoping that he would agree with her. She had been sitting on the information for over a month.

Her father's eyes seemed to widen at that. She knew that he didn't get along with Professor Snape, but she hoped that he could put the animosity behind him. It was good information, Hermione was sure of it. "Well, I just thought you might like to know." Hermione said, standing from the table. "I am just going to go finish my Charms essay, so that we can spend the rest of the holiday without worrying about school work."

"Hermione." Her father called after her retreating form. When she turned around, he asked the one question that was pressing on his mind. "What's the name of the Professor?"

Hermione smiled at him. "Professor Remus Lupin." Seeing the shocked look on his face, Hermione's smile morphed into a grin. "I know, right?" Her papa must have realized the irony of his name as well.

* * *

"Would you please leave me alone?" Hermione hissed at Ronald Weasley, who'd cornered her the library once again. It seemed that he was doing this with increasing frequency since returning from winter break, much to her annoyance. "I am trying to study."

"Not until you tell me where my familiar is!" He hissed at her, closing the book she was trying to read. Hermione barely got her fingers out in time to avoid being pinched between the pages!

Hermione was shocked and annoyed. Ronald Weasley was definitely on her do not talk to list. And she was pretty sure that she was also on his do not talk to list, so his sudden insistence on speaking to her was concerning. "Why would I have any knowledge of where you're familiar is?" She hissed again. Really, she would love to know why he thought the way that he did. She was sure that some scientist out there could do considerable testing on him.

"Because your bloody familiar is a menace! The great beast has been stalking Scabbers for weeks!" He practically bellowed. It seemed to Hermione that that was the only volume that Ronald Weasley was capable of talking at.

Hermione wanted nothing more than to sink into her desk at the library. Weasley was causing such a scene and was liable to get them both kicked out of the library. It was the place that she loved more than anywhere else in Hogwarts, and she hated the thought of being banned. Madame Pince was not a forgiving or a tolerable woman, and so far, Hermione had an excellent relationship with the woman.

"Crookshanks is a cat...of course he stalks rats!" Hermione hissed. How was it possible that he'd gotten through so many years of his life and he didn't even know this basic fact? "In any case, it's still not _my_ responsibility. You should take better care of your familiar." She stuck her nose in the air, looking down on the red headed boy. She couldn't even believe his family had allowed him a pet if the state of his books was how he kept care of his things.

Weasley's face began to turn as red as his hair, and Hermione found it hilarious. "I shouldn't have to protect him from a murderous bloody beast like yours!" He said, a bit of spit flying from his mouth in his rage.

Hermione made a disgusted face, before raising her wand, about to hex him, since he clearly wasn't getting the hint that she didn't care about his familiar, and she certainly _didn't want to talk to him_. But, just when she was about to hex him, she was saved the trouble. A squeaking rat ran its way along the bookshelf that Hermione's table was next to. "Hm. Looks like you found your familiar Weasley. _Don't_ bother me again just because you lost it. This is your warning. Next time, I might have a hex or two for you."

Weasley looked rather sheepish, seeing as his familiar really hadn't been eaten or attacked by her cat, but then he was angered by her threat. "Was that a threat?" He asked, his voice going a bit low, she supposed, trying to sound menacing or dangerous.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, it was a threat. Merlin, I didn't know that you were so dense that you couldn't understand that if you bother me again, I _will_ hex you. Now, leave me alone!" She hissed finally, her hand still firmly wrapped around her wand. Maybe she should hex him once just for good measure? Just to show him that she meant business.

Just when Weasley opened his mouth again - presumably to yell at her again - another voice interrupted them. "Is something the matter here?" Hermione turned to see the light green eyes of her friend, Theo.

"No, Theo. Weaselbee was just about to leave. He understands now not to bother me." Hermione said, looking over the gangly redhead. "Don't you?"

Weasley looked like he wanted to say something, but seeing that his odds had changed to two on one, he didn't like his chances. He spun on his heel and stalked away from them.

Theo slid into the seat next to her, and Hermione took a moment to appreciate his presence. She was glad that Weasley had finally gone away. "What did he want?" Theo asked, no hint of suspicion in his voice, but his eyes keenly focused on her face. Hermione wanted to roll her eyes. As if she would willingly socialize with Weasley, and even if she did, she would never be caught dead doing it!

"He'd lost his familiar, and thought that Crooks had eaten it." Hermione said, reopening her book to the correct page.

"Merlin, Crooks is a cat. Doesn't he know that's what cats do? He should take better care of his familiar if he is so worried about it." Theo said, with a roll of his eyes. Seeing that she was working on Arithmancy, he pulled out his translation sheet so that they could work together.

Hermione laughed next to him, her laugh sounding like a bell. Theo loved to make Hermione laugh, especially because it didn't happen that often. She patted his hand on the table. "That's why you're my friend, Theo. I told him the exact same thing." Suddenly realizing that her hand was still resting on his warm hand, she snatched it away. "Then his stupid rat came scampering along the bookshelf. Not dead."

"Unfortunately." Theo said with a crooked smile.

Hermione tried to hide her smile behind the feather of her quill, but Theo still saw it. It made his chest feel a little bit tight and warm.

* * *

Normally, Hermione enjoyed all of Professor Lupin's lessons, but she had a feeling that this lesson was going to be difficult for her to complete. In the center of the room, a rattling wardrobe was settled, and Professor Lupin had everyone gather around it. The shaking of the wardrobe had the simpering Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil flinching and crying out in over the top fear.

Hermione stood between Daphne and Draco, hoping that neither one of them could hear the pounding of her heart. She didn't want to look ridiculous like one of the Gryffindor girls, who were always so over the top with every emotion that they felt.

"Alright class. Today, we will be learning about boggarts, as I was able to track one down in the castle." Professor Lupin said with a bright smile. "Can anyone tell me a bit more about boggarts?"

Hermione waited several beats to see if anyone would answer, before raising her hand confidently. She hoped that focusing on the academic would remove some of them fear that was now firmly lodged in her stomach. "A boggart is a shapeshifting creature. It assumes the form of whatever one fears the most. They can usually be found in dark, unused areas." Hermione said, sounding much more timid than she was used to.

"Excellent. Ten points to Slytherin Miss Black." Professor Lupin awarded her with a smile that had little butterflies forming in her stomach. He then proceeded to explain to the class about the spell that could be used to incapacitate the boggart, and had them practice the incantation and wand movement, before calling Neville Longbottom to the front of the classroom.

Professor Lupin spoke to Longbottom quietly, and no one could hear any of what they were saying, but Longbottom looked so nervous that he was about to faint. Hermione couldn't wait to see what his fear was going to be. It also made her nervous about her own fears. She'd never examined them before, but now she was worried about revealing her true heritage, and her purpose at Hogwarts.

The doors to the wardrobe banged open, and much to Hermione's surprise, Professor Snape came striding out. The class erupted into a fit of giggles, though, when Neville spoke the incantation and Professor Snape was suddenly dressed like a very old woman, with deplorable headwear choices. The boggart was upset with their laughter, and seemed very confused.

Then, Professor Lupin had instructed everyone to form a line. Hermione tried to get near the back, but she found that she was only fourth or fifth in line, separated from the other Slytherins, who all seemed to have found spots at the back. She set her shoulders and stood up straight, trying not to betray how worried she was.

It _was_ amusing to see her classmates fears. Ron Weasley's boggart turned out to be a giant spider, and he stood paralyzed for a moment, making a pathetic whimpering sound. Eventually, he pulled himself together and the spider sprouted roller skates on it's eight legs, and was suddenly, unable to remain upright.

Parvati Patil's boggart was a bloody mummy, but it was quickly dispatched when it tripped over it's own bandages.

Hermione couldn't help but giggle to see Lavender Brown's boggart. Her's appeared to be a mirror at first, which Hermione thought to be a bit odd. What was she? A vampire? But then Hermione could see the reflection forming in the mirror - it was Lavender with all of her hair falling out and boilings breaking out on her face. Hermione was amused when the girl transformed the mirror into a giant disco ball.

Before she realized it, she was in front of the line, and she watched in horror as the boggart changed into the form of her father. He sneered at her, and opened his mouth to talk. "Hermione! I have never been so disappointed in you! You had one job, and you continue to fail at it! Is it so much to ask?" Her stomach lurched, at the thought of failing her papa, of how disappointed he would look. Oh, she couldn't bare it. But then she remembered that this wasn't her papa at all.

Hermione was nervous that the boggart was going to reveal more about her job, and so she took a deep breath and grabbed her wand pointing it at the boggart. "Riddikulus!" She shouted, and sighed as her father was transformed into the giant shaggy dog that was his animagus form. The others in the class were a bit worried that it was a grim, but it made Hermione laugh, and confused the boggart.

Professor Lupin looked at her with an odd look, but before he could comment on the transformation, Harry Potter stepped in the path of the boggart. The dog chased its tail once, twice, before transforming into a black shroud. Hermione wasn't sure what it was, as it wasn't fully formed, but before it could finish its transformation, Professor Lupin leaped in it's path, blocking Harry.

The boggart changed, this time to a full moon, before Professor Lupin transformed it into a cockroach, and banished it back to it's wardrobe. "Alright, class dismissed." He said, trying to usher the students from the classroom.

Well, that just proves it, Hermione thought to herself on her way back to the dungeons. Professor Lupin was absolutely a werewolf.

* * *

With the snow finally fading, and bright green erupting on the Hogwarts grounds, Hermione was eager to get outside and take in the air. Daphne and Tracey weren't interested in going around tromping through what was sure to be mud, so Hermione had somehow enlisted Draco and Theo to go with her.

Hermione was quite surprised that Theo would agree to go with him, because he was so bookish, just like her, that she didn't think of him as outdoorsy. During the summer, she couldn't keep Draco indoors. But, it turned out, that Theo's house was actually a country manor in the Yorkshire Dales, and he spent a lot of time wandering around outside when he was by himself.

"But, you don't have an accent!" Hermione had exclaimed upon learning this fact. She couldn't believe that she'd never asked where her friend was from before. She'd always just assumed that he was from London, which was preposterous because Draco was from Wiltshire and he didn't have an accent either. Hermione wondered what it must have been like to grow up in Yorkshire and wander about by yourself. Did he have a pair of wellies that he used to go puddle jumping?

Theo grinned at her anyway and laughed. "Of course I don't. You don't think father or my tutors would let me pick up the dialect, do you?" Seeing that she was realizing her obvious mistake, Theo couldn't resist teasing her a little more. "I could try to put one on for you though, if you like?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, though truthfully, she'd kind of like to see if he could pull it off. But she wouldn't ask, lest Draco say something predictable like, "Merlin, Hermione! He's not Hagrid!".

Just when they got outside on the grounds, they quickly spotted Potter and Weasley looking around on the ground for something. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? Two Gryffindorks looking desperate to find something." Draco drawled, catching the pair's attention.

"Lose your rat again Weaselbee?" Theo asked with a smirk. Seeing Weasley's face turn bright red let them know that Theo was probably right. "Where is your third loser friend? Shouldn't he be leading the search party?"

"Don't be silly, Theo." Hermione fake chided. "Longbottom can barely keep track of his own familiar and he's as forgetful as he is clumsy."

This made Weasley want to strike back, even though Potter seemed to be telling him to leave it. "Maybe if your ugly bloody beast of a cat wasn't always _hunting_ Scabbers, Black, I wouldn't have to keep finding him!" Weasley cried. "Scabbers has probably been murdered by now." He whined, and for once, he actually looked quite worried that his familiar might have been killed.

"He's a cat...what do you expect?" Hermione asked, talking down to Weasley like he was a little slow. "And Crooks isn't ugly, he's gorgeous." She said with that silly little smile she always got when she thought of her orange cat. He was perfect in her eyes.

"Oh, your cat is absolutely ugly - just as ugly as you are!" He said, making Hermione's hands ball up into fists at her sides. Not sensing her anger, he continued talking with a mean grin on his face. "With your bushy hair and giant teeth, hand always waving in the air, and always brown nosing the teachers...you just might be the ugliest girl in Hogwarts." He finished, triumphantly.

Hermione felt a knot form in her throat and thought that she might want to cry. Even though she detested Ronald Weasley, his words still hurt. She knew that she wasn't as pretty as Daphne and Tracey. She was just very plain. But her anger overrode her sadness and she'd be damned if she let Weasley see her cry. Closing the distance between them in two short steps, she hauled her arm back, and hit Weasley across the nose with her fist. The satisfying crunch of his nose had her smiling, even though her hand was aching. Both Theo and Draco made appreciative noises while hauling her away from Weasley before she could do any more damage.

Potter was fumbling with his wand, trying to stop the bleeding from Weasley's nose, when a streak of orange shot out from the castle. "Crookshanks!" Hermione cried, seeing that her familiar was indeed chasing Weasley's rat. "Come back here at once." She ordered.

Crookshanks didn't stop, and was chasing the rat farther and farther away from the school. Hermione, without thinking, decided she had to chase after him. She didn't want him getting hurt on the grounds. "Hermione! Wait for us!" She heart Draco call after her, and turned her head to see Draco and Theo following not far behind her, trailed by Weasley and Potter.

Seeing that Crookshanks and Scabbers were quickly headed towards the Whomping Willow, Hermione increased her speed, not wanting Crooks to get hurt by the tree. "Crookshanks! Watch out!" She watched as the furry feline dodged the swinging branches, only to tap a certain knot in the tree that made the branches stop their attack.

Utterly perplexed at how Crookshanks would have known to do that - even though he was such an intelligent cat - Hermione arrived at the tree just as Crooks followed the rat down a hole by the tree. She stopped abruptly, and waited until Theo and Draco caught up with her. "I'm going after them!" She said, not waiting for her friends to talk her out of it.

Draco and Theo waffled for about fifteen seconds, before following her into the hole, which appeared to be some kind of tunnel. It seemed to go on forever, but they just kept following the curly head of their friend. Finally, they came out in what appeared to be a shabby old house that was quite dilapidated. Draco stood next to Hermione, trying to catch his breath. "Where are we?"

"I think we are in the Shrieking Shack." Hermione said looking around, before she was unceremoniously knocked forward by Potter and Weasley tumbling out of the tunnel after them.

Theo helped Hermione up, and she dusted herself off. She looked around, trying to find a sign of Crooks or the rat, but what she found was much more interesting. "Professor Lupin? What are you doing here?"


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Oh my gosh! I have just been so blown away by the support from you guys! Thank you so much for reviewing, favoriting and following! If you'd like, you can follow me on tumblr, my handle is nauticalparamour. I will post a sneak peak of the next chapter later this week.

So the last chapter ended on quite a cliffhanger...I hope you enjoy this chapter, the end of year three, and feel that it still worked. Please let me know what you thought of chapter eight and be on the lookout for chapter nine soon!

* * *

"I could ask you the same question?" Professor Lupin asked them, looking tired, haggard even. It was then that Hermione noticed that he was holding something in his hand. It was squirming and trying to get away from him.

Weasley was the first to regain his tongue after being caught out by their Professor. "Her-" He pointed his finger in a damning way at Hermione - "Bloody cat took was chasing after my Scabbers. We were just trying to get him back, Professor, honestly." Weasley tried to take the struggling rat from Professor Lupin's hand, only to be shocked when their Professor raised his arm higher, effectively removing the rat from Weasley's grasp.

Professor Lupin's amber eyes were focused on Hermione, who had just noticed Crookshanks, proudly cleaning himself on the broken down bed that dominated the corner of the room. "This is your cat, Miss Black?" The Professor asked. Seeing Hermione's committal nod, the Professor smiled. "Of course, only such an intelligent student would have such an intelligent familiar."

Hermione looked perplexed at that, but she was certainly open to the praise, especially from her secret crush. "I am sorry, sir, I don't understand?" Crookshanks gave an indignant howl from his perch across the room. "Not that I don't know you are intelligent, Crooks, I just don't understand what that has to do with Professor Lupin."

"Crookshanks...did you know he is part Kneazle?" Professor Lupin asked, seeing Hermione nod again. "He has been helping me find something...or rather someone I've been looking for all year." Professor Lupin told them. His eyes seemed to be glowing in the dark of the shack.

"Who..?" Potter asked, before trailing off, and his eyes settling on the squirming form of Scabbers. "What could you want with Scabbers?" Hermione was even confused, she couldn't imagine what it was that Professor Lupin could want with Weasley's familiar.

"He's been in my family for-" Weasley began to spout off.

"Twelve years?" Professor Lupin asked, seeing Weasley go red. They all knew that it must be right. "This is not a normal rat, but rather, an _animagus_. He is a man that I have been searching for for years and the person responsible for the deaths of James and Lily Potter." Professor said matter of factly, like he was just giving another lecture on hinkypunks. Not like he'd just revealed to Harry the killer of his parents.

Hermione gasped, seeing the rat begin to squeak more viciously. She was suddenly very afraid, and she didn't want to be in this small confined space any more. Suddenly, things seemed very dangerous. Then, she felt a warm hand slip into her own, and squeeze. She looked down to see her hand swallowed up by Theo's larger one, and she wasn't so nervous any more. She had Theo and Draco, and they wouldn't let anything happen to her.

She was aware that they were still talking around her, but that she hadn't been paying attention. As the blood that was rushing through her ears began to fade, she realized the Professor Lupin was about to send the rat back into human form, and Potter was quite upset. Wouldn't you be, though, if the person responsible for making you an orphan had shared your room for the last three years as a rat?

Hermione remembered all of the things that she'd worried about over the year about where Professor Lupin's loyalty lied. Was he working for Voldemort? If he was, why would he have tried to find the animagus? Maybe he was in cahoots with...Scabbers, and they wanted to kill Harry together? She watched, in horror, as the rat was dropped to the floor, and hit with a spell.

The animal began to bulge and grow in a rather grotesque way, until it was replaced by a stout little man with his hands covering his face. When he realized that he was human again, he quickly stood and hugged Professor Lupin around the middle. "Remus! My old friend!" He cried out. Hermione couldn't tell if he was acting poorly, or if it was an effect of being human again after quite so long.

Weasley, perhaps finally understanding that his familiar was in fact a man, promptly fainted and fell unconscious to the floor.

Hermione instantly saw the upset that was on Potter's face with this exchange, and Hermione knew that everything she'd thought about Lupin must have been correct. "Expelliarmus!" She shouted, catching her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher unaware, gracefully catching his wand.

Draco looked at her, concerned. "What the hell, Hermione?" He didn't fancy taking away the teachers wand when he was very likely keeping them safe.

Hermione pursed her lips together tightly. "He's a werewolf. And he must be working for Voldemort if that's the welcome he gets from this...rat." She said with a sneer at the cowering man.

Lupin looked at her, surprised at her knowledge. "How long have you known?" He asked, his head tipping to the side, as if truly looking at her for the first time.

"Since Professor Snape assigned us an essay on werewolves when you couldn't teach." Hermione said hotly. Really, she was surprised that no one else had figured it out.

"All this time, and you never said anything?" Lupin asked, before a smile broke on his face. "My, my, you are loyal Miss Black. Just like your father." He looked at her with some fondness in his eyes, but it just made Hermione's hair stand on end.

Hermione sneered. "I didn't do it for you." She didn't know why she kept his secret. She should have just gone with her gut and told the Headmaster she knew, she lamented. Hermione had just hoped that her father would take care of it for her. Speaking of her father, Hermione wondered how Lupin knew him. It seemed that he must have known him well if he thought their characters were suited.

The man looked at her, before taking a few steps and reaching out to touch her. "Sirius? Sirius's daughter?" He asked, waiting for a response from Lupin. Before his hand could reach her, though, Theo shot a stinging hex at the man. The man immediately flinched away from her, and she was surprised by how rat like he seemed even as a human. Hermione had stiffened upon hearing that both men seemed to know her father, when her papa hadn't ever said anything about either of them. It made her think that they must be on the wrong side.

"Hermione, please give me my wand back." Lupin requested calmly. Hermione was surprised by his demeanor, wondering if he didn't think that she would use her wand against him, even though she already had once. "You don't understand the situation." She hated the way he said it, like she was too stupid or too young to properly understand the situation.

"No." Hermione said firmly. "I won't let you kill Potter." She was a bit worried about seeming too much like she was protecting the other boy, but she hoped that Theo and Draco wouldn't kick up too much of a fuss about it. After all, he was a classmate, and it was wrong to kill anyone.

"Kill Harry?" Lupin asked with a wry smile, a chuckle low in his throat. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Well, why would you be looking for _this_ man, if not to finish the job that he started?" Hermione asked, trying to keep her voice even. Inside she was shaking. She had never dared to defy an authority figure like this before.

"I'm not going to kill Harry." Lupin said, before grabbing onto the other man's jacket collar. "I'm going to kill him." His voice was suddenly much more animalistic than it had been before.

"But why? You're friends." Hermione asked weakly.

This time, Potter was upset and snapped at her. "Let him explain, Black." He clearly deserved answers, Hermione mused, as he was the one whose parents had been murdered by the man.

"Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper for Lily and James, when they went into hiding. For a long time, I thought it was Sirius Black who was the secret keeper, but it wasn't. It was Peter." Lupin said, again, pulling up his collar. Hermione watched as the portly man struggled, his feet not quite touching the ground. "Peter sold out James and Lily to Voldemort." Hermione considered this. She knew all about Lily and James Potter's deaths, but her papa had never revealed how their position had been leaked. Now she had her answer.

Potter looked stunned for a while. It seemed that no one had ever told him the circumstances of his parents' deaths. Finally, he turned to look at Hermione. "Give him his wand, Black." Potter ordered her.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock. She didn't think Potter would have this kind of vindictive streak. "What? No!" Hermione responded. She wasn't going to be involved in a murder, even if the horrible lump of a man deserved it for turning traitor. "If you are serious about this, then we should take him to the castle. Turn him in to the aurors."

Even Theo and Draco seemed surprised to hear her suggest this, but Potter wasn't accepting it. "If you won't give him the wand, then I will." Potter said, before handing his own wand to Professor Lupin, who grabbed it eagerly.

Just as his fingertips hit the wood, though, he seemed to seize up and gasp. Potter rushed over, and grabbed his arm. "Professor? Professor! What's wrong?" Potter wasn't strong enough, though, to keep him upright.

Lupin's grip on the wand was quickly lost, and Hermione watched as it fell to the ground. What was happening? It was only then that she realized that it was the full moon. "It's the full moon." She said quietly to herself. "It's the full moon!" She said louder, trying to alert the others to their issue. "He's a werewolf, remember? It's his transformation." She explained, hurriedly.

None of them could stop it when Pettigrew grabbed onto Potter's wand and transformed back into a rat and scurried away. Potter groaned, lunging towards the rat, but he'd gotten out through a hole in the wall. At least he was able to get his wand back.

"Potter, what are you doing?" Theo demanded. "We have to get out of here before he transforms."

That seemed to set everything into motion. Everyone was so horrified watching the werewolf transformation take place. Professor Lupin seemed to be in a considerable amount of pain, and the sound of breaking bones and the sight of sprouting fur did little to deter the fear they were all gripped with. If Hermione had any time to process what was happening, she thought she might be sick.

Luckily, Theo seemed to have firm grasp on the situation and began barking orders. Hermione had never known her shy, bookish friend to take command like this, so she was a bit stunned into following his orders. "Draco, get Hermione out of here! Potter, get Weasley. We can't leave him here or he'll be killed."

Potter walked over to where Weasley lie unconscious, and lifted him by the shoulders. "Nott, help me carry him?" He asked, suddenly frantic. Potter certainly wasn't going to be able to carry Weasley all by himself.

Theo almost couldn't resist rolling his eyes. Instead, he aimed his wand at Weasley. "Renerveate." He said, and watched as the redhead quickly regained consciousness.

Potter helped Weasley stand up. He was quite confused, but readily followed Draco and Hermione down the tunnel back to the Whomping Willow. Theo was the last to leave the Shrieking Shack, his head constantly turning to investigate every sound, imagining that it was a fully grown werewolf behind them. When he exited the tunnel, he could see the branches of the tree swinging wildly, and he hit the little knot in the tree that he'd seen Crookshanks do before. Once the branches had stopped moving, he ran out into the clearing, only to see that Hermione had been flung by a branch.

He ran over to her side, where Draco was already waiting. His blond friend looked up at him. "I think she's broken her leg." He said, fearful. He looked even paler than he usually did, seeing the awkward angle of Hermione's leg. Honestly, hadn't he seen worse on the Quidditch pitch?

Theo looked back at the tree. Still no sign of the wolf. "What are you waiting for? Pick her up and carry her to the hospital wing! I'll try to give you as much time as I can."

Draco looked concerned, but nodded, picking up his protesting cousin and taking off towards the castle. Theo jogged back over to the other two boys. "Alright, we need to keep as much space between him and us as possible. Try to get back to the castle when you can."

Weasley seemed to be blubbering. "I don't know Nott. Why don't we just make a break for it?"

"We need to give Draco more time." Theo replied calmly. Seeing the redhead faltering, he sighed. "Look, I thought you Gryffindors were supposed to be brave. I am going to help my friends, if you cowards want to run, be my guest." Theo was second guessing why he was even trying to help them at all. He wondered briefly if they would return the favor ever?

Before they had time to respond, the wolf erupted from the Whomping Willow. Theo tried a stinging hex, but it just seemed to enrage Lupin more. Racking his brain, trying to come up with some other spell, something from Defense Against the Dark Arts, but he couldn't come up with much.

A body bind came past his ear, and he turned to see Potter, with his wand raised. With the wolf temporarily stuck, they made a run for the castle, getting about halfway there before Lupin got free. Just when he was about to charge at them again, they heard a howl coming from the Forbidden Forest.

Lupin's ears perked up, and then he turned away from them, bolting off for the forest. "What the bloody hell was that?" Weasley asked, catching his breath.

Theo shrugged his shoulder. "A werewolf will always answer the call of his own kind." He turned back towards the castle. "Come on, let's get inside before he changes his mind and comes back."

* * *

When Hermione woke up in the hospital wing, she was surprised to see Daphne and Tracey giggling together. "Oh, good afternoon sleepy head." Daphne said with a grin on her face. "How are you feeling?" Concern for her friend was evident on her face.

"Better." Hermione told them. The memory of the skele-gro potion was still fresh, but she was glad that her femur had been properly mended in her sleep, so that she didn't have to be awake through the pain. "What are you two doing here?" She questioned, as she hadn't been expecting any guests.

Tracey tossed her long red hair over her shoulder. "We knew you would go mad without your assignments, so we brought them to you." She rolled her eyes seeing Hermione's own eyes light up in satisfaction at the mountain of reading that was included.

With assignments handed over and set aside for later, Daphne put her most mischievous grin on her face. "Is it true that Draco carried you all the way up to the castle?" She asked, eagerly.

Hermione sighed. "I should have known you just came here to get the good gossip." She admonished her friend good naturedly. "Yes, he did, and he ran the whole way. I couldn't run with the broken leg, obviously." Hermione patted her fully mended leg.

Daphne sighed, her large green eyes widening even more than usual. "Oh, so _romantic_." She breathed out, as if speaking too loud would ruin the moment.

Hermione scrunched up her nose. "Eww, he's my cousin." She was decidedly not interested in Draco romantically. She could objectively understand that he was a good looking lad, but that didn't mean that she wanted to kiss him or anything like that.

"You are _second_ cousins." Tracey said, trying to assure Hermione that it wasn't too weird. "It's not like it hasn't happened before." Somehow, that didn't give Hermione much comfort.

Hermione sighed, this time for real. "Uncle Lucius asked about it once, actually, when we were little, but honestly, my father was so repulsed by the notion that it will never happen. My grandparents were second cousins and they did not get one with one another. Not that I would want to...marry him anyway. I know too much about Draco." Hermione said, repressing a shudder. There were just some things you couldn't unsee.

"But still, he was so heroic." Daphne said, sighing again. Hermione could imagine Daphne reading some kind of medieval romance, and casting Draco in the starring role. Unfortunately, Draco was nothing like a knight in shining armor.

Hermione knew that Draco had helped her a lot, but honestly, it was Theo who she thought was the most heroic. "Really, Theo was the hero this time." She said matter-of-factly. "He took control of the situation, and kind of kept everyone calm. Without him, I think Potter would have left Weasley to be mauled by the werewolf." She'd really been impressed with him.

Hermione completely missed the looks that Daphne and Tracey were sending one another, while she was talking about Theo. "Really? Our Theo? But he seems so quiet." Tracey asked, wanting to hear what else Hermione had to say on the matter.

Hermione continued on, not realizing that her friends were goading her on. "I know! It was like a switch was flipped. He just seemed to know exactly what to do. It was very comforting, in an odd way."

Tracey patted her hand. "Of course it was." She and Daphne shared a mischievous smile.

* * *

With everything that had gone on in the past year, Hermione was eager to get home and spend the summer with her papa. She could practically taste the salty air coming off the sea at their house in France. She wondered if she could convince papa to spend the whole summer there, instead of just a month. She didn't need to see Draco that much, especially now that his pomposity had reached new levels, having saved her.

She and Draco ambled over to where Aunt Narcissa and Uncle Lucius were waiting with her father. Hermione still couldn't resist wrapping her father in a tight hug, burying her nose into his shirt, so that she could be surrounded by his comforting smell. Plus, she knew it annoyed Aunt Narcissa, so that was always a plus.

Once father and daughter had broken their hug, Narcissa looked at them with a tight smile. "I must insist that you come to Malfoy Manor for tea. I would just love to catch up with the children and hear all about their year away." Hermione scoffed at being called a child. She was a young woman now, she thought, fiercely.

Still, Sirius couldn't decline, so they found themselves seated around a table in the conservatory, sharing tea and scones with the Malfoys. Hermione mostly tuned out, letting Draco do all of the talking, until she heard him talking about her. "Hermione here had a huge crush on our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor...she was always watching him." Draco said, smirking at Hermione over his teacup.

Hermione blushed, not wanting everyone to know that she'd had another ill advised crush. "I do not have a crush on Professor Lupin." She insisted, but it somehow sounded much more feeble than intended. How had Draco noticed anyway? She thought she'd been so discrete.

Hermione saw the worried look on her father's face, and couldn't decide if it was due to her having a crush in general, a crush on a professor, or the fact that she'd had a crush on someone he remembered from school. She hadn't forgotten that Lupin and Pettigrew seemed to know who her father was, and that they'd mentioned being a secret keeper for the Potters. He hadn't told her any of that before.

Sirius couldn't believe his ears...Hermione had had a crush on old Moony? But she couldn't...she was his little girl. And Moony was so old! Not to mention that they'd been best friends, and so he knew all about the way Remus treated girls. Well, Sirius thought darkly, Remus had always been so gentlemanly. His blood was boiling a little bit as he thought about Remus laughing over a book with his daughter! Of course, Remus was much too professional to ever try anything with a student, but Sirius was still a bit panicked.

Looking at Hermione, he realized that she wasn't a little girl anymore, and as much as he'd been wanting to put it off, he'd have to accept that she was going to be interested in boys now. For as much as he teased her about having boyfriends, he hadn't realized that she was at the age when she would actually start having them.

He'd need to have a talk with her about keeping her priorities straight. He knew that it was unfair to her - especially since he'd had all the time in his adolescence to date as many girls as he'd wanted - but she needed to focus on their mission. Keeping her ear to the ground about information on Voldemort was her top priority, not having a boyfriend.

He'd have to talk to her about that. But, later.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter. And huge huge shout out to my reviewers - I cannot believe this has surpassed 200 reviews! Seriously, all of your kind words make it easy for me to write this story, as I can't wait to see what you'll think of what I concocted. You can follow me on tumblr, where my handle is nauticalparamour.

This chapter has a bit of angst, which will definitely be happening again. Please let me know what you thought of chapter nine and be on the lookout for chapter ten soon!

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Hermione's dreams of spending the whole summer in the south of France with her father were squashed quite quickly. They spent a month there, as was typical, but when Hermione suggested that they just stay there through mid August, her father told her that wouldn't be possible. They were going to the Quidditch World Cup with the Malfoys.

She'd begged and begged to just be left at home - Kreacher could watch over her - or to let her stay at Malfoy Manor with Narcissa. No matter how luxurious their tent was, there was no way that Narcissa would deign to stay in a _tent_ surrounded by commoners. Her papa declined to let her stay home, saying he wanted to share the event with her.

Hermione had done her best not to roll her eyes at that. She knew that her papa did love Quidditch, having played while he was at Hogwarts, beater, she understood. And she knew that he was a bit disappointed that she detested flying, when it was one of his favorite things. Still, she got enough Quidditch exposure from Draco at Hogwarts, did she really need to go to see a Professional match?

Yes, her papa had told her, reminding her that the World Cup only happened once every four years, and it was going to be very exciting. Apparently, Bulgaria's seeker was still in school, so he was quite young. Hermione didn't find this nearly as intriguing at her family did. She knew that she would be beyond bored, and resolved to sneak in a book.

So, when it was finally time to go to the match, Hermione dutifully wrapped a red and black scarf around her neck, to support the Bulgarians. When they arrived via portkey to the Malfoy's tent, Draco scoffed, seeing her scarf. "What? I thought that you lot were supporting Bulgaria?" She asked. She'd only been trying to make and effort for them, which, was really much more than she should have done.

Draco rolled his eyes at her. "Sure, but you don't have to wear a scarf for them. It's gauche." He said with a sniff. He'd dressed himself in all black, to match Lucius. It was a look that he'd been easing into over the years, but Hermione thought it didn't suit his pale complexion very well. Hermione had the sneaking suspicion that Draco didn't want to be caught cheering for a losing side.

"Did you learn a new word?" Hermione teased him. "You never complain when I wear a Slytherin scarf to your Quidditch matches." She accused.

"Well, that's different." Draco tried to argue, though he found himself unable to explain why. It was one thing when you had family playing for a team, but it was entirely something else to support a random team.

"Children." Lucius broke their argument with a single word that made them both feel embarrassed to argue over something so trivial. Uncle Lucius had a way of conveying cutting disappointment in just one word. "Enough fighting. Now, shall we make our way to our box?"

He didn't wait for either of them to answer, and instead exited their tent, holding the flap open for Hermione. She and Draco fell into step ahead of their fathers, Draco knowing the way to their box. "We'll be sharing a box with the Minister of Magic." He boasted loudly, wanting the people around them to look their way and be jealous.

"What? No way!" A familiar voice broke into their peace. Hermione immediately frowned, having found the pack of redheads that could only be Weasleys. They were mostly dressed in green and white, supporting the Irish, though Hermione found that Harry Potter was wearing red and black for the Bulgarians. Neville Longbottom was barely recognizable in their little group, he'd grown in height so much over the summer. He looked quite gangly.

Hermione wanted to brush past them, and keep walking, but Mister Weasley called out to their fathers, meaning that they would have to stop. "Malfoy. Black." Mister Weasley said politely, though there was an edge to his voice like he didn't want to be speaking with them civilly at all.

Lucius couldn't resist a sneer at the fellow Ministry worker and his gaggle of children. Hermione watched as Lucius openly mocked - under the guise of unwavering politeness - that the Weasleys had gotten tickets to the game because Mister Weasley did a favor for someone in the games department. Hermione did find that a bit distasteful.

Hermione tuned that out though, and was much more interested in the tension that had begun to build between Potter and her father. Potter had his eyes locked on her father and was scrutinizing every bit of him. Her father, on the other hand, was doing everything he could to pretend that Potter didn't exist. She'd have to ask him about it later.

Before she could consider them any more, Ron Weasley started in on her bushy hair. Hermione scowled. Her hair wasn't bushy, it was just really curly and hard to work with. "Shut your mouth Weasley, or I'll punch you again." She threatened, her hand tightening into a fist. She was pleased to see Weasley's mouth snap shut, and him visibly put more distance between them.

Beside her, Draco began laughing heartily, but Uncle Lucius looked disappointed in her. Hermione was briefly worried about the rebuke that she might get from Aunt Narcissa if this got back to her. But then, she turned to face her father and saw that he was fighting a smile. A warmth bloomed in her chest at the thought that her papa was proud of her.

* * *

Hermione wasn't sure how things had gone from so much fun to so awful. They had been celebrating the Quidditch match - the Irish had won the game, but Viktor Krum had caught the snitch - when Uncle Lucius said he had something to go check in on and that he wouldn't be back until quite late. Sirius promised to keep an eye on Draco.

Hermione had been roped into a game of wizard's chess with her cousin, while her father drank a bit of firewhiskey in their tent. It wasn't long until they began to hear what sounded like explosions in the distance. Hermione frowned, her fingers grasped around a bishop. She scrunched her nose. "Do you think that the Weasley Twins have been setting off fireworks again?" She asked Draco, her head cocked to one side.

Her father began to look very concerned, before standing up and opening the flap of the tent, Draco and Hermione not far behind. "That's not fireworks." Her papa told her ominously, a hand on her shoulder. Up in the sky, they could see the Dark Mark. It looked so hideous to Hermione, a serpent coming out of a skull's mouth.

Draco was very frightened, but her father had everything under control. He'd pushed them back into the tent, just as they saw masked Death Eaters flying around the grounds. Sirius had activated the portkey to take them back to Malfoy Manor.

Narcissa was waiting for them, and ushered Draco into a tight hug. "There's been an attack. At the grounds." Sirius told her. Hermione didn't think Aunt Narcissa looked surprised at all. Hermione and Sirius didn't wait for Uncle Lucius to return home, knowing that he'd make his way back on his own. When they arrived home at Grimmauld Place, Sirius ushered her into the Library and warded it shut. Kreacher wouldn't even be able to get into the room.

Hermione felt the unshed tears in her eyes, finally letting her body process all the emotions she was feeling. She'd been so scared. There was so much screaming and all those bloody explosions. "Does this mean that Uncle Lucius is a Death Eater?" Hermione asked tenuously.

Her father snorted. "I don't think that was ever a question." Seeing a bit of hurt in Hermione's eyes, he pulled her into a hug, wanting to take away all of her problems, but knowing that that wasn't possible. "This just makes everything so much more real. This is why you and I are here...to stop attacks like that from happening. I know it's easy to get complacent, but this is just proof that Voldemort's forces are still at work."

Hermione nodded dumbly, not sure what to think about that. In some sense, she'd become a bit complacent. It felt like normal life to her, but then she remembered, she had a serious part to play in this. So far, she'd just been making friends and learning about their parents, but her day to day seemed so innocuous. It would be nice to have all of the information, though. "What was going on between you and Potter?" She asked, cautiously.

"Dumbledore told me that he...found out that I'm his godfather." Her papa admitted, before taking a swig of firewhiskey, straight from the bottle. "I figure...the more distance we have, the better. Easier to keep my cover." Hermione wondered how that happened, but she had a sneaking suspicion that Lupin had something to do with it. He'd become something of a mentor to Potter throughout last year.

Hermione sat down heavily on the couch. She'd not been expecting that. "So, James Potter was your best friend?" She asked. So many years ago, he'd told her that Voldemort killed his best friend, but she never asked who that was. She knew that Sirius said that Harry Potter was important, but she didn't know why. "And you're Harry's Godfather? Why doesn't he live with you?" Hermione was perplexed.

Without thinking, Sirius just blurted out the words that had been on his mind when he'd tried to get Harry from Dumbledore. "I don't know, Dumbledore wouldn't give me Harry." He took another gulp of firewhiskey. "He gave me you instead."

Hermione felt a fist grab around her heart and squeeze tightly, her eyes suddenly full of tears. Of course, her papa would have wanted to take care of Potter, if he was his godson, his best friends' son. Instead he'd gotten a mudblood orphan instead, so that he could rejoin the family who'd scorned him. "So you...so you...never wanted me at all? You wanted Potter instead?"

She saw the horrified look on her father's face, but couldn't bear to think about what it meant. He hadn't wanted her, instead he'd been saddled with her. After her _real_ parents died. Breaking the wards on the library, Hermione left the room, not wanting to cry in front of him. She didn't want to see his face when he tried to _explain_ it to her.

She raced up the stairs to her own room and slammed the door shut, locking it. She put up her own wards, just as she heard her father begin pounding on the door to be let in. Hermione knew that he could easily break her wards if he wanted to, but he didn't. She threw herself onto the bed, and let her pillow muffle her tears. She couldn't remember a time when she'd felt so utterly heartbroken. Even if he didn't want her, she still wanted him. He was her papa.

The next morning, when she came down for breakfast, puffy faced and eyes red from tears, she was a bit shell shocked when her papa wrapped her up in a tight hug as soon as she entered the kitchen. As if he'd been waiting for her. Instead, she blinked back the tears that had reformed in her eyes. When her papa broke the hug, he kissed her forehead and pushed her curly brown hair behind her ears. "Hermione, you will _always_ be my daughter. I love you, and I wouldn't replace you for _anyone_. Please never, ever doubt that. I am so sorry if I've made you feel in anyway inferior."

He urged her to sit at the table, where Kreacher had made her scrambled eggs. She pushed them around on the plate, still too upset to eat, even though he'd apologized. "I have something for you." He pushed an ornate silver mirror across the table. She picked it up and smiled at him softly. "I have its pair. We can use them to communicate. If you have any information you'd like to pass on, you can use this. Or if you ever just want to talk to your old papa." He said, wryly, a smile on his face.

Hermione smiled broadly, feeling a bit better. "Where did you get these?" She asked, impressed with the magic behind them. They were really beautiful.

Her papa's voice was a bit tight when he responded. "James and I used to use them to talk over the summer holidays." He told her, not wanting the memories of his friend's death to cloud over him. It had been thirteen years, and he still hadn't fully accepted that his best friend was gone.

She reached across the table and placed her hand on top of his, understanding the meaning that these mirrors held to her papa. She almost couldn't believe that he was giving her something so precious. "Thank you for sharing this with me." Hermione suddenly felt better that he'd wanted to share this with _her_ and no one else.

* * *

Hogwarts was so unaffected by the events of the summer that it almost sickened Hermione. The Ministry had been quite effective at covering up what had happened at the Quidditch World Cup, but Hermione couldn't forget the screams of people running for their lives. Even Draco, who had been shaking and frightened, seemed to have forgotten what had happened. Or maybe his father had just told him the details, and he felt safer knowing he was never a target.

But Hermione _couldn't_ forget, no matter how much she wanted to. The knowledge that she had sunk like a weight in her gut, and her two-way mirror felt more like a tether than a life-line. Still, she carried it with everywhere, thinking that she might come across something that she couldn't wait to tell her father.

So far, she hadn't discovered much, except that Hogwarts clearly didn't have as much trust in the Ministry as everyone else did. They'd hired a retired auror to teach defense against the dark arts and he looked like he'd faced more than his share of battles. He had one leg, and was horribly scarred, and terrible to look at. He was also missing an eye, and had a glass one that whirred about instead. She felt like it was always looking at her. At least Hermione had no fears of catching a crush on this Defense Professor.

Further, Hermione thought that his methods were highly questionable. They hadn't even been in class for a week before they discussed Unforgivable Curses. He practiced them on a spider, and it seemed to Hermione that he took a little too much pleasure in it, almost as if he'd gotten carried away with the Cruciatus Curse.

When he'd discussed the imperious curse, she'd felt Draco stiffen in his chair beside her, though his face didn't betray his emotions. She wasn't certain, but she thought that Uncle Lucius might have used that excuse to get out of Azkaban during the last war. When he'd discussed the cruciatus curse, he performed it right in front of Longbottom, who ended up on the verge of tears. Only people living under rocks wouldn't have heard about what had happened to Neville's parents. When he discussed the Killing Curse, Hermione closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to see the spider's life snuffed from it.

But, when she told her papa about Professor Moody's tactics, he just laughed. Apparently, before he'd been accepted back into the fold, her father had been an auror and had worked frequently with Moody. This was, of course, news to her. He told her that Moody was a bit out of touch, highly suspicious, but harmless. He wasn't going to cause any trouble for them and certainly wasn't working for Voldemort. He did give her a warning to not try to sneak about the halls when Moody had patrols though. His eye could always _tell_.

Hermione had responded smartly that she never snuck about the halls after curfew.

So, she tried to put the unease she had about Moody out of her mind, as well as the looming fear of Voldemort being returned to life, and instead focus on girly things. Daphne's current assessment was that Graham Montague had come back from summer break looking quite fit, and Hermione couldn't help but agree. Tracey was much more interested in Terrence Higgs, but Hermione thought that he looked a bit plain.

Pansy was, as usual, obsessed with Draco, but she would always clam up about it whenever Hermione was around. It was probably for the best. Hermione would definitely tell Draco all the weird things Pansy said about him.

* * *

It had become something of an annual tradition for her papa to send her cupcakes on her birthday, beautifully decorated, and always delicious. She'd always bring them back to the Slytherin common room to share them with the other students in her year. It was nice for them all to get together every once and awhile, as they were usually separated into guys and girls.

She'd been surprised in second year, when the girls had given her presents for the birthday, but she'd been very touched. Now they always exchanged gifts among the five of them. Pansy and Millie usually just got her candy from Honeyduke's, but Tracey and Daphne were much closer to her, and would pick out something more personalized, and Hermione cherished all of their gifts.

This year Daphne had gotten her a highly rated book on glamour charms for curly hair. Hermione knew that it wasn't a hint, and was actually quite excited to try some of them out. Tracey had gotten her a lovely set of mittens that were so soft, Hermione wished that it was going to snow just so that she could wear them. Draco also got her a present - a nice set of emerald earrings - but she knew that Aunt Narcissa had likely picked it out.

She was surprised, though, when Theo handed her a wrapped bundle, that was almost - almost - too heavy for her to lift. Hermione eagerly tore off the wrappings and was surprised to find four very rare books on Arithmancy. It was a class that just the two of them shared this year, as the other Slytherins found it too difficult to continue after third year. "Oh Theo! You didn't need to get me a present." She said softly, letting her fingers run over the spines of each text. "It's too much. I can't accept these."

Hermione thought that she saw his cheeks go a bit pink, but he brushed her off. "It's nothing. I knew that you would get the most enjoyment out of them, so I want you to have them." He shoved his hands into his pockets, desperately wanting the attention off of him. Merlin, he was one of her closest friends, why couldn't he get her a present? "You only turn fifteen once."

Hermione set the books aside, reverently, before standing up and wrapping her arms around his middle. "Oh, thank you so much!" She squeezed him tightly. She wondered when Theo had gotten taller than her. Over the summer perhaps?

Meeting Draco's eyes, she suddenly realized just how improper her hug was for a good pureblooded girl to give to a boy who wasn't her intended. Sometimes she hated the rules and traditions that Aunt Narcissa had drilled into her. What good were they if she couldn't even hug one of her best friends? She pulled away from Theo, seeing that he _was_ blushing. She straightened her skirt and sweater, before turning to address the group. "Well, shall we have the cupcakes now?" She asked, kneeling down by the coffee table to distribute them, making sure to give Crabbe and Goyle the ones that had finger marks in the frosting.

The girls arranged themselves on one side of the couch, while the boys sat on the couch across from them. She watched, nose scrunched in confusion, as Blaise whispered something into Theo's ear, that had him elbowing his friend in the side. She wondered what that was all about. Hopefully Theo didn't mind terribly that she'd hugged him.

Theo was so thoughtful to give her a gift, she was certain that she'd have to return the favor when his birthday came up a month later. She thought about what he might like, but most of her ideas seemed silly to her. Maybe she'd ask Draco for guidance. They did share a room together, so he could let her know what kind of things Theo would think were good presents.

Giggling at Draco admonishing Crabbe and Goyle for eating too fast, Hermione realized that was the first time in quite a while that things had felt _normal._ She had a feeling that it wouldn't last for long.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Wow! Once again I am just so blown away - over 400 follows! Thank you so much to everyone who favorited and followed. Huge shout out to my reviewers as well! I am so glad that you all are enjoying the story so far.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter ten and be on the lookout for eleven soon!

* * *

The normalcy hadn't lasted very long. It was just a few days later that Headmaster Dumbledore announced that Hogwarts would play host to the Triwizard tournament. She barely had a chance to make eye contact with Daphne before her little section of the table was squealing. The Triwizard tournament meant that two other schools would be coming to stay for the year - Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

And what was more dreamy than Durmstrang boys?

It was basically all that they could talk about, so much so, that Theo even banned Durmstrang discussion from the time that they studied in the library. It was no matter to Hermione, she could still talk about it late at night with the other girls. She wondered if the boys were as excited about the girls from Beauxbatons coming to school.

Hermione would braid Daphne's long, pin straight, blonde hair into two plaits and then wrap them over her head so that she looked like a milk maid, all while discussing when the boys would be arriving. Or, as Tracey liked to say, the young men of Durmstrang. She supposed that they _did_ seem more like young men compared to the boys of Hogwarts.

Surely, the young men of Durmstrang would be strong, intelligent, and magically powerful. Hermione did try to disguise some of her interest as being purely academic, though she doubted she was fooling her friends. Did they have different classes to attend at Durmstrang? She knew that Uncle Lucius had considered sending Draco there because they were a bit more lax with teaching dark magic. Maybe she'd meet someone who could show her a few spells.

"What are you going to wear when the Durmstrang boys arrive?" Daphne gushed one night over dinner, too busy gossiping to actually eat any of the food that was on her plate.

Hermione just held back from rolling her eyes. She loved Daphne, but sometimes she didn't think things through properly. "My uniform of course." She knew that they would likely arrive at a feast time, and so no one would have a chance to change out of their oxford blouses and skirts.

"Oh, come on Hermione, don't be silly." Tracey complained. "Maybe I will wear my new sweater." Tracey had gotten a green cashmere v-neck sweater during the last Hogsmeade weekend, and she'd been dying to show off her newly found cleavage.

This did make Hermione roll her eyes. "I am not being silly." She insisted. "We will all be in our uniforms, just like the Beauxbatons girls will be, and the Durmstrang boys will be. This tournament is to represent our schools, and so we will be all in one uniform, impeccable. A unified front for the Hogwarts champion." Hermione said matter of factly.

The girls both whined, but conceded that she was probably right. "Fine, then." Daphne said, wrapping her long hair around her fingers. "How are you going to do your hair?" She asked slyly. If you couldn't wear a nice outfit to set you apart from the other girls, then your hair and your make up must be impeccable.

Hermione shrugged. "Probably just in a plait." She said, pushing a bit of mashed potato around her plate.

Daphne looked scandalized. "Oh, Hermione! Honestly, you can't do that! Don't you want to make a good impression on the Durmstrang guys?" She asked, her green eyes wide and confused. Hermione had such lovely hair...if you put considerable effort into it.

Hermione frowned. "I do, but this competition is about international magical cooperation and making friends, not about trying to get a boyfriend." She said, resolutely. "I want to make a good impression, but with my magical prowess, not my looks." Though, Hermione certainly wouldn't mind her a boyfriend was attracted from her magical prowess.

"Merlin, Hermione." Tracey sneered. "You sound like a muggle!" Hermione stopped herself from snapping back at Tracey that she would know. It was no small secret that Tracey Davis was only a halfblood. Sometimes she hated all these little jibes that were ingrained in her to disparage muggles and muggleborns, when...no, she couldn't go down that path.

"Will you _please_ let me try one of the Charms from the book I got you for you birthday on you?" Daphne practically begged, in that tone of voice that always made Hermione give in. "You can make a good impression with your looks _and_ your brains that way." Seeing Hermione falter, Daphne smiled triumphantly, knowing that she'd won.

"Alright, alright." Hermione finally agreed. "I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to get a boyfriend. Not to mention that there is a formal dance." Of course there would be a Yule Ball. Didn't anyone read history books?

 _That_ information sent Tracey and Daphne into a new conversation direction, eagerly discussing what color of dress they would wear for the dance.

* * *

When the other schools showed up, the fine young men of Durmstrang had fulfilled all of their giggling daydreams of what they'd be like. Was it just Hermione or did all of them seem _older_ than the boys at Hogwarts? Even Cedric Diggory looked like a boy compared to someone like Viktor Krum. Sure, she'd seen him at the World Cup, but up close and personal was a completely different matter.

Daphne's glamour charms had done some good, if Viktor Krum had managed to be captivated by Hermione's stare. And Merlin, did it light a fire in her belly. Sure, she could admit that she found him attractive - tall, dark and handsome all applied - she recognized that he was probably dumb as rocks, and tried to push the attraction away.

It was not a huge surprise the following evening when Krum was chosen as the champion of Durmstrang. Fleur Delacour, a pretty part veela that _all_ the boys - even Blaise had been a bit glassy eyed when he saw her - swooned over, was chosen as the champion of Beauxbatons. Cedric Diggory was chosen as the champion of Hogwarts, and everyone thought that was that.

Until Harry Potter's name came flying out of the Cup. Merlin, Hermione didn't think that she'd ever seen Headmaster Dumbledore looking quite so angry before.

Knowing that her father would want to hear about this, she told her friends that she wasn't feeling well and was going to lay down, while they all decided to roam the halls, looking for Durmstrangers. Even though she had the girls dorm to herself, she still spelled her green curtains shut, and set a silencing charm around her bed so that she and her papa could speak privately. She pulled out the mirror and held it in front of her calling for her papa. "Papa?"

Hermione didn't have to wait long until her father's visage was shown in the mirror. "Hello, sweetheart. How are you doing tonight?"

She'd used the mirror to talk to him about day to day things, but this time it was serious. "I have information." She said, cautiously, and watched as his face changed to an eager look. "As you know it's the Triwizard Tournament...the Champions were selected today, and somehow, Hogwarts got two Champions. Harry Potter was selected to be the fourth competitor." She told him, gravely.

"How is that possible? Would he put his name into the cup?" Her father asked, more to himself than to Hermione, but she responded anyway.

"Normally, I would say yes. He's reckless and brash." She saw her father's mouth tighten at this, but she knew Potter better than he did. "What? He is. Anyway, Dumbledore drew an age line himself. No one under the age of seventeen was putting _anything_ in the Cup. Which means..." Hermione trailed off biting her lip. It seemed a sinister plot was afoot in Hogwarts.

Her papa completed the thought. "That someone else put his name in the Cup. Someone who is decidedly not his friend." His face darkened, and he was clearly upset about this. Hermione knew that he was probably more upset that there was nothing he could do.

"I've never seen Dumbledore angrier." Hermione said meekly. "But I doubt they will be able to reverse it. The guy from the Ministry...Barty Crouch...was very clear that entering your name into the Cup was the equivalent of a Magically Binding Contract." When her father didn't say anything further on the issue, Hermione felt a bit helpless. "What should I do?"

Her papa sighed, letting his hand run through his curly black hair. "Well, I think you should keep an eye on Karkaroff. He was definitely a Death Eater during the last war, and Durmstrang doesn't have the same issues with Dark Magic as Hogwarts." He said, eyes off to the side, as if he was reliving old memories.

Hermione scoffed. "Honestly, some of the things that Hogwarts considers Dark Magic is just ridiculous." She said with a roll of her eyes.

Sirius cringed at that, but filed it away for later. He was pretty sure that if Hermione was becoming a dark witch, he would have noticed it by now. "Just keep an eye out for him. I wouldn't put it past him to be working for Voldemort still. Not to mention that Snape is still working at the school. He was more than a little bit dark when I was at school."

Hermione's eyebrows shot to her hairline. Her papa still hadn't explained the clear animosity that existed between him and Snape. Not to mention that recently, Professor Snape really seemed to be warming to her. "And what should I do about Potter?" She asked, quietly.

"Well, you can't do anything too overt, but...just try to help him out, if you can." Her father had a forlorn look on his face. "It's a dangerous tournament...people die, and Harry's only a boy."

Hermione agreed, wishing her father goodnight, only to think on his words. She was in the same year as Potter...didn't he see that he was asking rather a lot of her?

* * *

Learning Karkaroff's schedule was easier than Hermione would have expected. She was very observant, which made it easy to pick up little details about him, without anyone noticing the extra attention she was paying him. But, Karkaroff also kept a very regular schedule, which also made it easy to pick up.

Because his schedule was so regular, it was also very easy for Hermione to pick out when he was deviating from that schedule, too. So, when at dinner, his bushy salt and pepper eyebrows shot up into his hairline when his assistant whispered something in his ear, Hermione noticed immediately.

When he pushed away his half finished Peach Melba fifteen minutes before he usually finished, Hermione began making her excuses to Theo. She cast a discrete warming charm on herself, making herself look flushed. "Theo, I am so sorry, but I'm not feeling well. I think I am going to go lie down. Raincheck on studying?" She tried to look as apologetic as possible.

She and Theo usually spent weeknights studying together in the library, because they were both, as Draco told it, "bloody swots" and they were taking most of the same classes. Theo took one look at her rosy cheeks, and nodded, telling her that he hoped she got better soon.

She quickly left the Great Hall, only a minute after Karkaroff. Casting a disillusionment spell on herself, she crept along the hallways, following his heavy booted steps. She wasn't surprised when he left the castle, as he would have to to get to the ship where the Durmstrangers were staying, but she was surprised when he veered off the path to the Black Lake, and instead took the one towards Hagrid's hut. Was he familiar with Hagrid?

His steps were fast and his legs longer than hers, so Hermione practically had to run to keep up with him. Once, she kicked a rock, and he whirled around, checking to see if anyone was behind him. Hermione was pleased to note that her disillusionment held up to his scrutiny, as she'd never really tried it in earnest before.

She only started to get afraid when she noticed that he strode right past Hagrid's hut, and instead walked into the Forbidden Forest. Hermione bit her lip, trying to decide what to do. The Forbidden Forest was, well, forbidden, and she didn't fancy getting caught, but she also wanted to know what was so important to Karkaroff. What if he was meeting with some other former Death Eaters in the forest for a discussion? Just think of all the information she could bring back to her papa. She didn't even let her mind wander to what would happen if she was caught spying on someone like Karkaroff.

Instead, she followed him into the dense trees, her heart pounding louder and louder in her ears. Honestly, it was so loud that she almost didn't hear the cries in the distance. Hastening her steps, she followed closer behind him, not wanting to be attacked by another creature in the forest.

Karkaroff stopped so abruptly, Hermione almost ran into him. That was when she saw what it was that had captivated his attention. Dragons. Four of them.

It didn't take Hermione long to realize that there was one dragon for each of the competitors in the tournament. This was horrific. How were they supposed to fight off dragons? Especially without being given a hint or clue of what was to come? Well, obviously, Viktor Krum would be well prepared. There was absolutely no way that Karkaroff wouldn't share this with his school's champion.

She bit her lip tightly. She remembered that her papa said that she should help Harry Potter get through this. She had to pass along the information _somehow_. The only issue was figuring out how to pass the information to him.

* * *

Hermione had tried to pass the information along to Potter in the weeks leading up to the first task, but he was stubborn. She'd tried looking suspicious reading a book about dragons in the library, in front of Potter and Longbottom, before leaving it out, in the hopes that they'd be curious enough to snoop about what she was so interested in.

They'd taken the bait, but after seeing that it was "just a book about dragons" they left it there without a second thought. Honestly, how they thought they even got this far was astonishing to her!

Then, she'd helped goad Draco into teasing Weasley about his older brother who, she'd discovered, was a dragon tamer. That had backfired, too, because apparently Weasley and Potter weren't speaking to one another. The ginger git thought that Potter had put his name in the Cup on purpose, just so that he could get more glory. Idiot.

Finally, Hermione decided that Slytherin cunning just wasn't going to work on these imbeciles, and decided to switch tactics. She waited until most of the class had left from their Care of Magical Creatures lecture to approach Hagrid, who she knew socialized with Potter and his friends on a regular basis. "Miss Black?" He'd asked, thoroughly confused about why she would be waiting after class to speak with him. Hagrid knew he had no friends amongst the Slytherins.

"I was wondering, Professor," Hermione questioned in her swottiest voice, "If there are any dragons native to Scotland?"

Hagrid, who seemed to be quite eager to discuss dragons, responded enthusiastically. "Well, you've got the Hebridean Blacks, o' course, and then there are some Welsh Greens that make their way up to Scotland on occasion."

Hermione gave the large half-giant a tight smile, though she didn't particularly care to get into a deep conversation with the man. She just wanted to pass on the hint, and leave it be. "But, there is no reason to think that there would be any dragons, say, in the Forbidden Forest?"

Hagrid looked surprised. "No, Welsh Greens wouldn't come this far north on their own, and the Hebrideans usually don't come so far in land." Then his eyes narrowed, and he asked, full of bluster. "Why do you ask?" He seemed incredibly suspicious of her.

Hermione shrugged, trying to seem innocent. "I just thought I heard a Hungarian Horntail calling from the Forest, the other day when I was taking a walk about the grounds." She said with a shrug. "And I didn't recall discussing their native range...but, it's probably nothing, or you know, something to do with the tournament."

"Something to do with the tournament...?" Hagrid trailed off, confused.

She gave him one last smile, making sure to look down her nose at him. "Yes...thank you for your help. Professor." She added that last bit as disdainfully as possible, remembering the way that Draco had reacted to hearing that the games keeper was being allowed to teach. Then she turned around and hurried back to the castle. She hoped that he could put that together, and hopefully he would keep her name out of his mouth when he passed it along to Potter.

When she arrived at dinner, she was positive that Hagrid had passed the message on to Potter. He was white as a sheet.

* * *

When Theo walked to the table that he usually shared with Hermione in the library, he was not expecting to be greeted by an overly large, dumb as rocks, international Quidditch star. Hermione smiled brightly at him. "Hey Theo! Viktor here is going to join us to study for Charms. You don't mind do you?" She asked him, innocently enough.

She had the decency to look apologetic, but of course he couldn't tell her that yes, he absolutely did mind. Study time was just about the only time he got Hermione all to himself. She was smart and funny, with a dry wit, so different from Draco and Blaise. It was refreshing to study with her, and he didn't want to share her. He barely tolerated Daphne joining them for potions study on Tuesday nights, and only did because she was awful at potions. It was necessary that they help her so that she wouldn't be an embarrassment to Slytherin house.

Keeping his features schooled, so as not to show his annoyance, Theo sat down in his usual spot. "No, that's fine."

"Viktor." Hermione said with a bright smile. "This is my friend Theo Nott. Well, you're really like my best friend, aren't you?" Theo felt a tightness form in his chest at her words. He was her best friend? Merlin, was that good to hear. "And Theo, this is Viktor Krum. But then, you probably knew that...I didn't even recognize him from the world cup, because I don't follow Quidditch!"

Theo grunted noncommittally, noting that Krum didn't seem to interested in him either. How was it that Hermione didn't even like Quidditch, but she still gravitated to one of Quidditch's biggest stars?

Once Theo had pulled his books out, Hermione spoke again. "We were just going over the summoning charm." Theo nodded, and opened the book to the appropriate page. Though he wanted to, he wasn't about to bring up the fact that Krum should have mastered the summoning spell four years ago. Hermione seemed quite content to have him there, and it wouldn't do to upset her.

Looking up, he saw that Hermione was absorbed in her notes, but Krum was just kind of staring at the side of her face, with a dumb look on his face. He was completely _enthralled_ with her, Theo noted with disgust. Not that Theo found Hermione disgusting just...why did Krum have to look at her like that?

They'd gotten through about fifteen minutes of actual studying, before Krum got bored and tried to get Hermione's attention back on him. "Herm-o-ninny." He said, grabbing one of her errant curls. "Iz hair alvays like this, or is glamour charm?" He asked her in broken English.

Theo scowled. He couldn't even say her name properly! And everyone could tell that her hair was just that - all her. It defined her, always curling wildly about her face, in a way that he actually found quite pretty. It suited her.

Hermione giggled, and was quickly brought off topic by Viktor. "Tell me, Viktor, what is Durmstrang like? What is Karkaroff like as a Headmaster? I am always so curious because Dumbledore is...well...so Dumbledore." She said with a delicate wrinkle of her nose.

Theo could barely stand to be around them when they were so giggly and flirty in front of one another, but he couldn't leave Hermione _alone_ with Krum either. It was so odd, to see Hermione transformed this way. She wasn't acting like _his_ Hermione at all. Instead, she was acting like...Pansy or something.

He thought that she was smarter than to be so crazy over someone who was so stupid, but judging by how she blushed when she caught Viktor staring at her, he figured this was going to be a continuing trend.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you all so much for the support! Thanks to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter. Huge, huge thank you to all the reviewers from last chapter as well!

I hope most of you are at least understanding of Sirius's failings as a father. He will come around, I promise, and he really means well, he just sometimes talks first without thinking how something will sound. And, even though Hermione is his daughter, Harry will always be important to him. Sorry in advance for Viktor's accent. I usually don't write an accent out, but...well, I tried anyway.

You can follow me on tumblr, where my handle is nauticalparamour. Please let me know what you thought of chapter eleven and be on the lookout for chapter twelve soon!

* * *

The first task had come and gone, with a brave showing from each of the competitors. Hermione was impressed with Viktor's use of the conjunctivitis curse, but she was mostly just glad that Potter had gotten the message about the dragons. He'd summoned his broom and caught the golden egg that the dragon was guarding just like it was snitch. It had been a rather harrowing experience, though, as at first he seemed a bit lost, and there had been some touchy moments.

That had been a conversation she'd been happy to have with her papa. He'd been so proud of her that she'd managed to get the information to Potter undetected, though he had scowled at her suggestion that he was too Gryffindor to pick up on her Slytherin subtlety. Sometimes she forgot that her papa wasn't a Slytherin himself, but honestly, Gryffindors didn't have the minds for subtlety.

It wasn't until after the First Task of the tournament that the Yule Ball was officially announced. Hogwarts was in a full tizzy of boys dreading asking girls, and girls desperately batting their eyelashes at any boy who looked their way. Hermione thought it was silly, and had even told Theo that her roommates had become unbearable. They were obsessed with figuring out who was taking who to the dance. It was all that anyone could talk about.

Things had only gotten more ridiculous when Draco had asked Pansy of all people to go with him to the Yule Ball. Hermione had privately groaned to Daphne that Pansy was going to be insufferable. "Now she's never going to shut up about him! Merlin, I wish he wouldn't give her false hope." Pansy even had the audacity to give Hermione smug little smiles as if Hermione had been waiting around for Draco. The thought turned her stomach.

Hermione had never expected herself to get caught up in the hype of securing a date. She didn't know _who_ she would go with, but she figured someone would ask her. So, she was surprised when Viktor Krum stopped her in the library one day, taking a few steps away from his friends. "Herm-o-ninny, I vas vondering if you'd go to Yule Ball vith me?" He asked, looking uncharacteristically nervous. Was he really expecting to get turned down?

She didn't even have to think twice before accepting his invitation. "Yes, Viktor, I would love to." She knew it was petty, but she couldn't wait to see how upset Pansy would be that an international Quidditch star wanted to take her to the Yule Ball. That would show the pug faced girl just who Hermione Black was.

"Vunderful. I vill be the envy of every guy at dance." Viktor said with a cheeky smile.

Hermione's cheeks felt hot, and she was sure she was blushing terribly, so she made her excuses and hurried over to the table where Theo was waiting for her. When she sat down, Theo was looking at her with narrowed eyes. "What was that all about?" He asked, trying to sound bored, but she could clearly see the curiosity in his eyes. He was tense.

Hermione gave Theo a shy smile. "Viktor asked me to go to the Yule Ball with him."

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she certainly wasn't expecting her friend to be annoyed with her. "I take it you said yes then?" He practically demanded the answer from him, though she figured that he knew the answer.

"Yes, I did. I am very excited to go." Hermione said slowly, confused about why Theo seemed so upset about it. Shouldn't he be happy for her? Instead, he just scoffed, and looked down at his potions textbook. Hermione just couldn't hold her tongue. "What?"

"I just thought that you were a little bit smarter than that, Hermione." Theo said, pointedly refusing to make eye contact with her. He really did think that she'd be able to see through the smoke and fog that celebrity had given Krum. He was woefully lacking in the intelligence department, and he thought that that meant a little bit more to Hermione.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked, her voice getting that shrill quality when she was truly annoyed. She had certainly inherited the Black family's penchant for fighting.

Theo shut his potions book, not at all bothered by the loud noise that it made, echoing through the shelves. "I just thought that you wouldn't be...seduced by fame. I thought that you wouldn't be swayed by someone so completely idiotic that his intentions with you are completely apparent." He was mostly disappointed in her, but it also made his throat feel a bit tight.

Hermione snapped her jaw shut. So it was true that Krum wasn't the most intelligent guy that she'd ever met, but he was extremely sweet, and he seemed to really want to get to know her better. She honestly didn't care that he was a Quidditch player. "Oh? And just what are those?"

"He probably just wants to get into your knickers, Hermione." Theo said, shoving his books in his bag, even though he hadn't gotten any studying done.

"Is that what you think?" Hermione asked, appalled that he would even say something like that to her. Didn't he trust her that she wasn't about to just...sleep with someone she barely knew. She wasn't some kind of slag...she'd never even kissed someone. It's not like she would just hop into bed with someone because he took her to one silly school dance.

"Yeah, Hermione. I'm a guy. I know how guys think." Theo, huffed, throwing his bag over his shoulder before turning to leave.

"Well, if you think so little of me, then...I don't even want to speak to you, Theo Nott!" She called towards his retreating back. She could tell by the way that his shoulders tensed that he heard what she said.

* * *

By two weeks before the Yule Ball, it seemed that all the Slytherins had found a date to the ball. Millie was going with Greg Goyle, Tracey had been asked by Cassius Warrington, and Pansy was going with Draco. It was only Daphne who hadn't been asked, but seeing that she was the most beautiful girl in their year, Hermione knew that she'd be asked eventually.

That's why Hermione wasn't surprised when Daphne finally sauntered into the Slytherin Common Room one night after dinner, with a shy grin on her face. What Hermione was not expecting was for Daphne to sit down on the edge of her bed. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" The girl asked, suddenly seeming a bit nervous.

Hermione shut her book and set it aside. "Of course, Daphne. Shoot." Hermione was certainly intrigued.

Daphne opened and closed her mouth, unsure of how to start, before deciding that a direct explanation would be best. "Theo asked me to go to the Yule Ball with him." Even though she wanted to, Daphne didn't take her eyes off Hermione's face, wanting to gauge Hermione's reaction.

Hermione didn't know why, but she was decidedly unhappy to hear this. Still, Daphne was one of her best friends, so she tried to put on a good face for her. "That's excellent Daphne. I am sure we will have tons of fun with one another." Even though it hurt to say this, Hermione knew that it was probably true. Theo was tons of fun to be around and so was Daphne.

Daphne seemed surprised, smiling cautiously at her friend. "Are you sure it's alright with you? If you don't want me to, I will tell him no." Daphne said, in a rush.

Hermione swallowed thickly. "Why would I mind?"

"I just thought..." Daphne started, searching Hermione's face for a hint that anything was wrong, but Hermione had her Slytherin mask in place. "Well, I just thought that you and Theo seem close and so, I should check with you first." Daphne tucked her long blonde hair over her shoulder, and Hermione felt a stab of jealousy. Her hair would never look as beautiful as Daphne's.

"Well, I certainly don't mind." Hermione said with a small grin, which was all she could currently muster at the moment. "And I can't wait for us to all go to the ball together. Will you promise to help me get ready?" If she could get the conversation off of Theo, Hermione was sure that she could pull herself together.

Daphne's hesitancy seemed to melt away, once she was convinced that Hermione really didn't mind. "Of course I will help you. What color are you wearing again?"

"Periwinkle." Hermione told her with a smile. "Aunt Narcissa helped me select a dress during the last Hogsmeade weekend." Hermione did love the dress that her Aunt had helped her pick out, even though it was a bit more daring than anything she'd ever worn. Aunt Narcissa had assured her that it was sure to turn heads, but still tasteful.

"I was thinking about wearing green." Daphne told her.

"Perfect. It will bring out your eyes." Hermione complemented. Suddenly, the talk with Daphne was too much for her, so she feigned a big yawn. "I would love to talk more about this tomorrow, Daph, but I am just so tired. I think I will call it an early night." Daphne nodded and stood up from Hermione's bed.

After saying goodnight to her friend, Hermione charmed the curtains of her bed closed, and cast a silencing charm. She couldn't pinpoint _why_ but she was definitely upset that Daphne was going with Theo. She was so beautiful, so of course Theo would ask her...

Hermione thought about using the mirror to call her father, but she thought that he wasn't the best person to talk to about girl issues. And she couldn't call him when she was this emotional, because he would be able to sense something wrong right away. Not to mention that she couldn't really vocalize why she was so upset about it.

Was it the insinuation that guys asked girls to dances whose knickers they wanted to get into? Did Theo want to get into Daphne's knickers? He _had_ made the insinuation that he would know when they'd fought in the library. Or maybe it was because they hadn't spoken since they'd gotten into their fight?

It did hurt that Theo felt that he could talk to Daphne, but not to her. Maybe it was because she said she didn't want to talk to him when he was being so unreasonable. She just didn't understand why Theo couldn't be happy for her, when she was at least trying to be happy for him and Daphne. That's what friends did, wasn't it?

Still, trying wasn't the same thing as actually accomplishing it. Here she was sitting in her bed, hoping that they would have an awful time at the dance. Whatever the reason that it hurt so bad that Theo would choose Daphne...it still cut so deep that the only thing that seemed to help was crying herself to sleep into her pillow.

* * *

The day before the Yule Ball, her papa had sent a very strongly worded letter to Draco reminding him that he was supposed to act as Hermione's chaperone while she was at Hogwarts, and that he should keep a close eye on her while she was at the dance. Her papa was excited that his little girl was able to get all dolled up for a dance, but he was a little bit wary of an eighteen year old Quidditch star's intentions with his fifteen year old daughter. Keeping her virtue in tact was important.

He'd actually _written_ virtue in the letter. Hermione had seen it when she was reading over Draco's shoulder at dinner. She'd scoffed when reading that. Why did everyone assume that she was just dying to push down her knickers for Viktor? Why did everyone think that she wasn't good enough at protecting her own virtue? And why was it even that important? It wasn't her papa or Draco or Aunt Narcissa's business, surely.

Still, she wasn't going to let Draco's constant hovering over her ruin her date with Viktor. She'd gotten dressed in her periwinkle gown and let Daphne use some Sleek-Ezey on her hair so that it was smooth and beautiful. She'd known she looked gorgeous when she walked down the stairs to meet Viktor.

Multiple people had stopped and stared while she made her grand entrance, and she even heard a Ravenclaw girl ask who she was. Hermione ignored them all, and instead hurried down the stairs to where Viktor was waiting. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and told her that he thought she was beautiful.

Draco was there at their elbows then, with Pansy, who looked positively green with envy, to Hermione's delight. Soon, though, they entered the Great Hall, and Hermione joined Viktor for the dance of the champions. Every time Viktor lifted her off her feet, she thought that her heart might leap from her mouth. She felt like she was a bird, and she might be able to just fly right out of the Great Hall. She was surprised by how good of a dancer Viktor was. Though, she supposed that the waltz was much more common in his part of the world.

After the formal dinner, the dancing resumed, and Hermione saw Theo and Daphne across the way. Daphne looked gorgeous in her emerald green gown, and really, the pair of them were well suited. She put on a brave face, and began walking towards them. She had been sincere in wanting to spend time at the dance together. She was horrified when Theo took one look at her walking towards them, before turning a bit pale and turning around and walking towards the punch table. The fact that he didn't even want to _talk_ with her cut Hermione deeper than she would have expected.

Blinking away the tears, Hermione was determined not to let Theo ruin her evening. She instead went back in search of Viktor, only to find him standing at the punch bowl. He offered her a drink, which she gladly accepted. "Hot in here isn't it?" She asked, before noticing that Draco, her ever present chaperone was finally not breathing down her neck. "Fancy a walk through the rose gardens?"

Seeing Viktor nod enthusiastically, Hermione quickly finished her drink and set the empty cup on the table. By the burn that chased down her throat, she thought that the punch might be spiked. She didn't worry on that too much, figuring that she hadn't had too much punch to drink, before grabbing Viktor's arm and leading him to the rose garden.

They walked quietly beside one another, enjoying the fresh air in silence, before they walked past a little alcove, and Viktor pulled her into it. Hermione felt her breath leave her. Had she ever really considered how tall and muscular Viktor was? He was all encompassing, and Hermione wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms.

"I am having vonderful time vith you tonight, Herm-o-ninny." Viktor said, placing his large hands on her shoulders, warming her from the chilly winter air. "May I kiss you?" He asked, searching her face for any hesitation.

Not trusting her voice at the moment, Hermione just nodded empathically. Viktor dipped his head to hers and pressed his lips against hers in a soft caress. It was surprisingly gentle for the normally rough and tumble seeker, but Hermione felt herself relax into his arms. She sighed when he pulled away, torn between excitement over her first kiss and disappointment that he hadn't taken it deeper.

They stayed that way, wrapped up in each other, until Hermione's ears picked up two voices. She whispered to Viktor. "Someone's coming. You should leave first and I'll follow in a few seconds, so we don't get caught. I'll meet you back in the Great Hall." She told him with a grin. Viktor nodded, before pressing his lips to her's once more in a brief kiss, before leaving the little alcove.

Once he was gone, Hermione strained to hear the voices better. It didn't take long to identify Professor Snape, and the other man he called Igor, as Karkaroff. Their words were barely veiled, but Hermione quickly could tell that they were talking about Voldemort. It seemed that Karkaroff might have had some kind of falling out during the last war, and he was trying to regain rank.

This surely meant that Voldemort's forces were planning on something to bring back Voldemort? And certainly, this mean that Professor Snape was without a doubt a Death Eater. Hermione felt her stomach drop. She hadn't wanted to believe that her Head of House was a Death Eater, but she certainly couldn't argue with this...

One thing was certain. Her papa would certainly be pleased to hear all the new information that she had.

* * *

Theo continued to ignore Hermione, much to her utter dismay. She didn't understand what she'd done to make him so cross with her. Surely, her going to the Yule Ball with someone who was below their intelligence shouldn't bother him that much. Besides, it was him who had insulted her by suggesting she was some kind of slag! Surely that warranted him apologizing to _her_.

She desperately missed their study sessions together in the library, as he provided a need distraction from the banality that her roommates provided. Not that she didn't like her roommates, it was just that they never seemed to take anything seriously. And none of them could make her laugh like Theo did.

Just when she thought that she was never going to have things back to normal, Professor Dumbledore asked her to meet in his office after dinner one night. She didn't remember anything after arriving there, and the next thing she knew, she was surfacing the water's surface in the Black Lake, Viktor's arms wrapped tightly around her, while he swam them to shore.

She'd had a blanket wrapped around her form, and was shivering on the platform while the champions were awarded their places, just wanting to go inside. She was certain she looked like a wet cat. Harry Potter had even gone back and saved Fleur's sister from the lake, which Hermione thought was quite brave. That was when she got the information on what the second task had been. She couldn't believe she was quite so important to Viktor.

But more important than Viktor's rescue of her, was Theo running up to her after the task. He wrapped her up in a hug that was fierce and tight, not caring if anyone saw or if it could be deemed improper. "Merlin, Hermione, I am so glad you are okay!" He'd whispered in her ear, and she shivered at the feel of his warm breath on her skin. "I've been an awful friend. I am really sorry for avoiding you for so long. I should trust you to make your own decisions." He conceded.

Hermione smiled brightly at him, just excited to have her own friend back. "I accept your apology." She told him, before biting her lip. "And I am sorry as well, if I did anything that... that bothered you." Seeing Theo's green eyes full of relief when he shook his head made her realize all was forgiven. "You shouldn't have been so worried about me. I was perfectly safe." She insisted.

"Well, when Daphne said that you never came back from dinner, we were all worried." Theo admitted, running a hand through his light brown hair. "You should have seen Draco. He was absolutely petrified." He said with a crooked smile.

Hermione felt a stab of annoyance in her belly at hearing Daphne's name on his lips, but pushed it away, not wanting to be ridiculous. So what if Theo and Daphne liked each other? She should be happy for her friends. She _would_ be happy for her friends. "I am sure he was planning his funeral if he had to tell my father something had happened to me." She countered with her own grin, though it was a bit forced. "Oh Theo, I am just so glad that we are friends again." She said.

Theo gave her a tight smiled. "Yes, friends." Were her eyes deceiving her or did she detect a blush on his cheeks?

Instead of examining that further, she opened her arms and wrapped him up in a hug, that he hesitantly returned. She was sure it was just that she was still dripping wet from being in the lake. Still, she didn't worry about it too much, and instead enjoyed the warmth of his tall body pressed against her.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Wow! Thank you all so much for putting this over 300 reviews! And huge thanks to everyone who favorited or followed as well. I feel awful that some of you don't like Sirius, and I am afraid this chapter isn't too flattering either. I will have to work on making him more likable. Sorry, I am late on reviewer responses...I will try to get those done tonight!

HH: I guess I think of these two Sirius's as completely different, so I don't find it too weird, but I suppose it is a little bit different.

Here is the end of year four. Please let me know what you thought of chapter twelve and be on the lookout for chapter thirteen soon!

* * *

After the craziness that had occurred with the Yule Ball and the Second Task, a Hogsmeade weekend seemed somewhat banal to Hermione. Still, all of her roommates were gushing over it, though none of them had been asked on a date, and she supposed, after a while, the enthusiasm became infectious.

The boys were also thrilled to go, wanting to stock up on Honeyduke's sweets, get over the Quiddtich shop and maybe even the joke shop. It became an unspoken arrangement that the ten of them would go down to the village together and break off for their separate pursuits, before returning to the common room together to gorge themselves on sweets.

It was a plan that Hermione was happy to join in, especially as it was unseasonably warm that weekend, with warm, happy sunshine. She was pleased to be able to leave her jacket behind, and her heavier winter boots. She even let Daphne help her plait her hair to one side of her head. It really turned out quite gorgeous, Hermione thought.

At first they made their way to the Hog's Head, not wanting to get mixed up with all the other houses at the Three Broomsticks, though Hermione privately wondered if that might be a bit more fun. Sure, it seemed a bit raucous, but everyone seemed to be laughing and having a great time. It couldn't be that bad, could it?

After they shared a butterbeer together in the dingy pub, Daphne and Tracey left abruptly to go to Gladrags Wizardwear to look at formal robes, which Hermione personally thought was ridiculous, as the Yule Ball had already happened. Blaise left for Dervish and Banges because he need something repaired, which Hermione found slightly suspicious.

Next to leave was Millie and Pansy who were going to see a fortune teller in the village, which Hermione thought was nonsense. Why would they pay someone to tell their fortune when they were taking Divination? Why not just ask Trelawney if you really believed in it?

After the girls left, Draco, Vince and Greg mentioned that they were going to Quality Quidditch Supplies to pick up some things for their brooms. Theo declined to go with them, as he didn't play Quidditch.

And suddenly, Hermione and Theo realized that they were the only two left at the Hog's Head. Hermione felt nervous and thought that she could feel her cheeks turning pink, but honestly, she thought it might be quite nice to spend the afternoon with Theo. "Fancy another butterbeer?" She asked him, suddenly quite timid.

"No, I think I am fine." Theo said, a bit of pink on his cheeks as well. "That is, um, unless you'd like another one?"

Hermione smiled at him, but shook her head. "No, I was thinking that I might like stopping into Flourish and Blott's, check out some of the new arrivals." She said gathering her things and leaving a few sickles on the slightly dirty table. "I would love some company, if you wanted to come with."

Theo was happy to comply. He'd also fancied a stop into the bookshop, but with his friends, he didn't have a hope of going there. "Brilliant, I wanted to check and see if they had the new Arithmancy Quarterly in yet." Theo said, not worrying about embarrassing himself. He knew that Draco also called him a swot, but Hermione was just as much a swot as he was.

Walking from the dingy pub and into the bright light of the streets of Hogsmeade, Theo found that it was incredibly pleasant to be just in Hermione's presence, but then he wondered if this made it some kind of date? He really liked Hermione, she was probably his best friend, and they had so much in common, but he wasn't sure what he felt about her.

His father hadn't ever really talked to him about what it would feel like when he _really_ liked a girl. His father was quite a bit older than most of his friend's parents, and his own mother, before she'd died. Theo wasn't stupid. He knew that his parents hadn't married for love, but rather as a political alliance. He was sure his father would tell him that love was a wasteful venture.

They spent over an hour and the bookshop together, quietly pursuing, and not talking much at all. It was just a testament to how well they got along with each other as a pair, that they could feel content, merely in the other's presence.

Theo saw Hermione looking at a book of beauty charms, and briefly wondered if she liked any boys. Surely, she must like Krum a little bit to go to the dance with him. But Krum would be leaving soon. Was there someone in their year at Hogwarts who'd caught her eye, or had she resigned herself to the fate of an arranged marriage like his father had?

He didn't know much about Sirius Black, except that he'd been a Gryffindor and was a bit of a prodigal son, returning to the fold for the good of his daughter. He'd also heard rumors that he wasn't touched like some of the Blacks, but he did have quite the temper. Somehow, Theo didn't think that Sirius Black would be too keen on _anyone_ dating his daughter, let alone arranging a marriage for her.

When Hermione rolled her eyes at the Quidditch magazine Theo had included in his stack of things he was going to buy, Theo couldn't stop himself from returning a grin. Hermione was his best friend. He was sure that these...feelings were just the product of them being sure great friends.

* * *

Everyone knew that the Tri-Wizard tournament was deadly, but no one had honestly expected someone to actually die. It didn't take Hermione long to realize that something had gone awfully, awfully wrong.

When Fleur had been pulled from the maze, Hermione wasn't surprised. Though the veela girl was highly intelligent, she hadn't been doing well in the tasks so far, and she just wasn't a strong competitor. She'd been last in all of the events so far. But then Viktor was pulled from the maze as well. That had surprised Hermione more, especially when she'd deduced that he'd been imperiused! Honestly, how had someone got away with casting an unforgivable at Hogwarts? Because, after all, Hermione was positive that Viktor never would have tried to kill anyone.

It had only one possible explanation, Hermione thought. Death Eaters.

Had Professor Karkaroff expected Viktor to kill if he was told to, only to be surprised by his champion's reluctance or outright refusal? It would be quite easy to imperius him then, Hermione thought. But then, Karkaroff looked incredibly nervous. It could be explained as concern for his student or fear that he'd be caught. He wasn't really acting suspicious.

Hermione wasn't really sure what was right.

But then, both of Hogwarts' champions remained in the maze, and the crowds were still cheering, thought Hermione could feel the cold dread that something was going horribly, horribly wrong. She'd reached for Theo's hand, as they were sitting next to each other in the bleachers, but the warm comfort of his hand did little to ease her tension.

It seemed like it had been ages since Potter and Diggory had gone into the maze. Even Draco was becoming impatient. "Merlin, I wish Potter would just give up already. There is no way that he is going to be able to get the Cup before Diggory does." He sneered, from his seat next to her.

Hermione frowned. "I don't know Draco, he's done alright in all the other tasks. Surprisingly." She knew that she had helped him out during the first task, but she had absolutely no idea how he'd gotten through the second task, as she'd been too caught up with the Yule Ball. She'd figured that Longbottom must have given him the gillyweed. Longbottom _was_ brilliant at herbology after all.

But then, it happened.

Potter popped into the open field in front of the maze, looking incredibly bloody and dirty. Everyone cheered, until the slow realization swept over the crowd that he was carrying something with him. A body. A body in a yellow shirt. Hufflepuff yellow. Cedric. "He's back. Voldemort is back." Potter had said, tears in his eyes.

Hermione felt her stomach rise up in her throat and momentarily, she thought that she was going to be sick. How on earth was this possible? Her and her papa's whole job had been to stop Voldemort from coming back in the first place, and it had happened, right here on Hogwarts grounds? And not only that, but Cedric Diggory had been killed in the process. Hermione felt tears form in her eyes and she felt like she couldn't swallow. She felt Theo tugging on her hand, trying to get her to leave the stands. "Come on, we need to get going. We need to get back to the castle."

He didn't say _why_ he thought that they should get back to the castle, but Hermione had dumbly nodded, and followed after him, her eyes unable to leave Cedric's prone body. The crowd had begun to panic and run in all directions and Hermione was worried that she might get separated from her friends.

But Theo's warm hand kept her calm and safe, and she squeezed it hard and didn't let go until they were safely in the dungeons again.

It had all felt like a fun game, spying on Death Eaters and sending covert messages, but now that the Dark Lord was actually back and in the flesh, it was all too real.

* * *

Professor Dumbledore had given a speech to the assembled students of Hogwarts, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, as a sort of eulogy to Cedric Diggory. Hermione was surprised when he told them what had happened truthfully, or at least, what Potter had said had happened. He told them all that Voldemort had been brought back to life by none other than some of his most trusted associates.

Hermione wondered if Lucius had been involved. If Draco knew, he wasn't saying anything, but in the week after the accident, he'd had this sort of pinched look on his face. Hermione wondered if he realized that nothing could ever be the same.

The ministry had already left and given a statement about what had happened to Cedric. There was nothing in their statement about dark magic, Death Eaters or Voldemort. Hermione knew that it disappointed the Headmaster, and it angered Potter more than anything. She'd seen him looking so annoyed.

She wondered if that was the reason that Professor Karkaroff and Professor Snape could be standing up on the dias with the other teachers, looking so calm. Of course, they were Death Eaters and since the ministry seemingly wasn't even going to investigate, what point did they have being worried with their role in Cedric's death?

But then, that was when Professor Dumbledore dropped the real bombshell. He was only telling them because he thought that it was fair for them to know. It turned out that Professor Moody wasn't Alastor Moody, former auror at all! Instead, he was the nefarious Barty Crouch, Jr, Death Eater presumed dead in Azkaban.

Hermione felt all of her blood rush to her head. How was this possible? How could she have failed so spectacularly? She needed to get out of the crowded Great Hall.

As soon as they were released from the assembly, she ran all the way back to the dungeons, not caring what Narcissa would say if she could see her, not caring what her friends might think of her, not caring that Viktor Krum had called her name, likely wanting to say goodbye to her before he left to return to Bulgaria.

She rushed into her dorm and charmed her curtains shut and silent, trying to calm her breathing, but her tears were already on her cheeks. She gulped in air between huge sobs. It was all her fault. She'd _known_ that something was off about Professor Moody. She had known it in her gut from the first time she saw him that something about him was not right.

For Merlin's sakes, he'd delighted in using Unforgiveable curses during class! She'd seen it on his face how much he was enjoying it, but she'd brushed it off, sure that she was just seeing things wrong. He was an auror, vetted by Dumbledore, he couldn't possibly be a bad guy.

She'd brushed off her instincts, and for a second time her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had been in cahoots with Voldemort. Only this time, it wasn't just that Potter and his friends had gotten up to a bit of mischief, this time one of her classmates had _died_. And Voldemort was back.

Hermione punched her pillow in anger. Merlin, she'd been so caught up in her espionage of Karkaroff and following him around, and he hadn't given up anything that even remotely suggested that he was a Death Eater! She'd been so sure, in the Rose Garden...

But now, their words could have been about anything, anything at all. Maybe Snape wasn't even a Death Eater, either. He surely didn't seem like a Death Eater. Of course he favored Slytherins, but he never made any kind of muggleborn prejudice clear.

Flopping back on her bed amongst the pillows, Hermione closed her eyes. She was devastated, absolutely devastated at her spectacular failure.

* * *

When Hermione got off the Hogwarts Express, she was able to find her papa immediately. He always cut a dashing figure in his blue robes, but this time his gray eyes weren't smiling like they usually were when he got to pick her up. His lips were held together in a firm line, and she could see his hand fidgeting with his wand. Was he worried about being attacked?

She walked slowly with Draco towards their parents, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy standing not far off from her papa. When she reached him, she was upset to see that he made no move to embrace her like he usually did, knowing that it made Narcissa scowl.

"Good afternoon children." Narcissa greeted them with an insipid smile. "Sirius, Hermione, will you be joining us for dinner at the Manor?"

"Sorry, Narcissa, not today." Sirius said, not sparing a second glance Hermione's way. Hermione bit her lip in confusion. They _always_ went to the Malfoys after returning from Hogwarts. "I'll floo you though soon." He promised his cousin, before settling his hand on Hermione's shoulder so that they could apparate back to Grimmauld Place.

Once they were back home in the normally cheery library, Sirius told Kreacher they didn't wish to be disturbed until dinner, and set up all manner of privacy wards. That really had Hermione's heart pounding a mile a minute. "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"Of course something has happened! Bloody Voldemort has been resurrected, and we had _no intelligence_ that it was going to be happening." He ran his hand through his long black hair, before turning to glare at her. "And at Hogwarts, under your watch. How could you have let this happen, Hermione?" He demanded from her.

She felt tears form in her eyes again, feeling absolutely horrible once more. "I didn't mean to. I was just so focused on Karkaroff and Snape, that I didn't think that Professor Moody was an imposter." She took a deep breath, trying to keep hold of her emotions, not wanting to seem like an upset little girl. She wanted to be taken seriously.

"You want to know what I think?" Her papa hissed. Hermione nodded, so upset that she'd disappointed him. That felt worse than anything. "I think that you were too _focused_ on dressing up in gowns and going to balls and dating boys that you let your mission fall to the wayside!"

Hermione opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to formulate a response. She _never_ forgot about the mission, and it never left her mind. "That's not what happened." She finally insisted. "And even if it was, I am a teenage girl, or did that escape your notice? That's exactly what I am supposed to be focused on." She felt some rage bubbling up inside of her.

Her papa let out a little growl of frustration. "That is absolutely _not_ what you are meant to be focused on. You have your mission, and you need to keep your attention on it at all times. You don't remember what it was like last time when Voldemort was amassing power, but you are about to get a taste now." He was bitter, Hermione knew.

"Do you ever think that putting all of this pressure on me is wrong? I am pretending to be someone I'm not every day, and I can't even speak about it!" Hermione countered, her resentment for the duty she was giving bubbling up inside of her. She hated that she was given this job.

"Oh, I think you aren't pretending anymore, Hermione." Sirius scowled. "I know that you like being the little pureblood princess, don't deny it. You love all your little evil friends in Slytherin and gossiping about people who you think are beneath you."

Hermione felt the tears that she'd kept at bay so far tip over her eyes. "They aren't evil people for one, they are just teenagers like me. And secondly, I can't believe that's what you think of me." Sometimes her father made her so angry. "You're my father, and you're supposed to protect me and keep me safe, and yet you've signed me up for this colossal task that _I didn't ask for_." She said, her voice deadly serious.

Sirius, finally seeming to actually _look_ at his daughter, sagged. She was right. It wasn't acceptable that she'd been put in this situation, and he wanted nothing more than to take her away from it. He wished that he'd slammed the door on Dumbledore all those years ago.

But what could he do now? They couldn't run away. Voldemort had his eye on world domination and until he was stopped, he'd eventually affect their lives. Plus, he'd rather be a part of the group that brought the snake faced bastard down rather than run like a coward. He was a damn Gryffindor after all!

He closed the gap between him and Hermione, before wrapping her up in a tight hug. She'd grown, but she still didn't make it up to his shoulder. He felt her stiff in his embrace, but kissed the top of her curly head any way. "I am sorry. You're right of course. I shouldn't be so harsh on you, especially when you are under stress. And I.." His voice cracked from the raw emotion. "I wish I could give you a normal childhood. I wish I never would have listened to Dumbledore...if I could take it all back..."

She relaxed and returned his hug, a few sobs escaping and wetting his robes. "What are we going to do papa?" She asked, quietly.

"We are going to get through this together, Hermione. I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." He whispered, tension leaving his body. In this crazy scheme that Dumbledore had manipulated them into, they only had each other, and it wouldn't do for them to be fighting. They needed to work together.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Wow! I can't believe this story has over 500 follows and 200 likes - thank you so much! Huge thank you to everyone who reviewed after last chapter. I know it was a bit emotional with Sirius losing his temper, but I hope you don't hate him too much. He will definitely make it up to Hermione, I promise. This chapter begins year five, but it takes place over the summer.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter thirteen and be on the lookout for fourteen soon!

* * *

Hermione thought that she was going to have an excellent summer with just her papa. They needed to spend time, just the two of them, together after their awful fight when she returned from school. Things had started out slow, but in the week after she'd been back, he'd been spending time with her, getting to know her. They'd even spent one day in muggle London, Hermione on the back of his motobike - which, she didn't even know he had - driving around together. He'd taken her to several fun museums and even a huge muggle bookstore.

Though she'd spent time in the muggle world it was always very short lived. Hermione was fascinated by it, as much as her papa was it seemed, and she particularly enjoyed the fashion. She longed to have a muggle wardrobe, but she knew that she was resigned to dresses, skirts and robes for now. Still, her papa would let her drag him to different boutiques to try all sorts of clothes on. He'd promise he'd buy her whatever she wanted once all this was over. It was a wonderful promise of a future yet to come, even if Hermione wasn't sure he could deliver on it.

She'd asked him if he would take them to France for the rest of her holidays, as it gave them enough distance from Britain to actually relax, or relax as much as they possibly could. Hermione wanted to be spoiled, and have a whole summer with her papa just to herself. However, he told her that they already had other plans.

No matter how much she complained, cried or had a general tantrum, Hermione was just not able to get her way. She knew that it made her papa feel guilty, especially after the rough start that they had this summer, but it seemed that a quiet summer in France with just the two of them was not in the books.

"Do you think I want to do this?" He'd asked her one night over dinner. "She's killed at least four of her seven husbands. It doesn't exactly inspire a lot of confidence in me having to pretend to court her." He said with a scowl.

Somehow, they'd been shipped off the spend the summer in Italy with Blaise Zabini and his mother. She had deep connections in the field of donating money for dark causes, and apparently held fashionable dinner parties in which dark wizards and Death Eaters wined and dined and discussed all their little nefarious plans. Sirius was sure it would be a hotbed for useful information.

"Promise me it's a ruse." Hermione demanded, when her papa had originally told her of his plans, she supposed ordered by Dumbledore. "I wouldn't be able to handle it if she got her talons in you, and killed you off once she'd gotten access to the vaults. What would become of me?" Hermione shuddered at the thought of being Blaise's step sister.

Honestly, concern for Hermione's safety was going to be the thing that prevented Sirius from being swayed by Madame Zabini's charms. He knew that she was probably as bad of a flirt as he'd been once, a long time ago, before he went under cover. He just hoped that he'd still be able to charm her sufficiently. He was sure it would be like riding a bike.

"I promise, it's just a ruse." Sirius told her, trying to reassure his daughter. "You just enjoy your summer, and don't worry about me. Besides, isn't her son in your year at Hogwarts? I thought you might get along." Although, Sirius was a little bit worried that they might get along a little too well.

Hermione had frowned at that. No, she and Blaise most certainly did not get along. He found her an annoying swot and she found him to be a cheap flirt! He was smart, but didn't apply himself well, and he was always goading Draco into doing things that she knew would get him in trouble. Still, she would suck it up and enjoy the sun and ignore Blaise as much as possible.

When she met Maddelena Zabini on the balcony of their gorgeous villa overlooking bright blue water, Hermione was surprised to find that she actually liked the woman. She was probably a little bit younger than her father - which made Hermione wonder how old she was when she had Blaise - but she wasn't intimidatingly beautiful. She'd kissed Hermione on both cheeks and complimented her on her hair, something that Narcissa constantly complained about. There was something about this woman that just _drew_ you in.

But then, that's what made her so dangerous, Hermione thought. She was a killer, a murderess, and no amount of charm and charisma could make up for that. Maddelena instructed Blaise to show Hermione around the grounds, insisting that he show her the library. Apparently they had some original Medici documents, which Hermione was loath to admit was something she was actually interested in.

Hermione didn't like Blaise, but she at least tried to make an effort. "Wow, your house is lovely. It must be awful to head to cloudy Scotland every year and give up this sun."

Blaise gave her a predatory grin, his white teeth gleaming in contrast to his dark skin. He offered her an arm to walk her around, which Hermione took, even though in her head Narcissa's voice was screaming that she didn't have a proper chaperone. Where was Draco when she needed him? Blaise didn't respond to her comment, so she tried again. "Why did your mother decide to send you to Hogwarts instead of somewhere closer to home?"

This time he did answer, his tone having that bored quality that Hermione loathed in Slytherins, to show their disdain at the topic at hand. "Mother likes to cultivate her contacts in the United Kingdom." Hermione frowned at that. She had no idea what that meant, but it did made her worry about for her father. Just who was cultivating who here?

Blaise dutifully showed her around the grounds - the bit of beach they had private access to, the library, and finally, her room. "Look, Hermione, we both know that we aren't the...best of friends." He stated, standing politely at the threshold of her bedroom.

Hermione barely contained a snort. "We agree on that." She said as politely as possible.

"Just because your father is here to see my mother doesn't mean that we have to spend any more time together than we want to." Blaise told her, a rare serious look on his face. Hermione was relieved to hear it. "You leave me to chasing after the local girls and I will leave you to your books. Deal?"

Hermione smirked at him. "Deal." Maybe a summer holiday in Italy wouldn't be the worst thing.

* * *

Hermione and Blaise mostly kept to themselves, except when the four of them would have dinners together, like some kind of odd patchwork family. Hermione was surprised by how little Maddalena seemed to think about her son, so wrapped up in her papa as she was. She wondered, briefly, if it was always like this for Blaise, whenever a new guy came around.

She supposed that Maddelena must have cared for her son though. She knew that they always took tea together, just the two of them, every day in the solarium. Maybe it was all part of her act, Hermione mused.

It wasn't until nearly the end of their stay, though, that Blaise actually approached her to do something. "Black, are you going to be a general swot tonight, or are you interesting in having a bit of fun?" Initially, Hermione thought he might be coming on to her, but the cold look in his eyes made her think otherwise. Just what kind of fun was he suggesting?

Intrigued, she'd agreed to meet him the study after dinner that evening. Maddalena was hosting another one of her parties, so she was sure that all adult supervision was going to be otherwise occupied. She knew her father loathed these things, but he did enjoy the drinks that were provided.

It wasn't difficult to slip out after dinner had ended, and she was surprised to see Blaise talking to someone else in the study, each holding a tumbler of firewhiskey. She couldn't tell who it was, but he seemed quite tall, and he had light brown hair that was styled to look effortless.

When she made her way around the couches, she was surprised to see her friend from school, Theo. He stood, seeing as she'd entered the room, and Hermione was gobsmacked. When she'd left him, Theo had been weedy and thin, but now, it seemed his body had finally caught up with his last growth spurt.

He'd always been quite tall, but now he had broad shoulders to match, and she could see the bit of muscle in his arms and was it just her, or did his jaw suddenly seemed more defined? What would it be like to kiss along the line of his jaw, only to meet his soft, kissable lips?

Jolted from her shock, by seeing his light green eyes staring at her face, Hermione launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his midsection, and delighting at the feel of his hard chest beneath her cheek. "Theo! So good to see you! I barely even recognized you." She confessed.

She pulled back when she realized that he wasn't hugging her back, and she blushed furiously. Oh, how could she have been so rash as to just fling herself like that at her best friend? It was certainly not what good pureblood witches do. But, to her immense relief, he smiled at her. "Good to see you, Hermione. My father came to the party tonight, so I thought I'd tag along to see Blaise. Didn't expect to see you too." His tone of voice was a bit suspicious. Did he think there was something going on between her and Blaise?

He offered her a spot on the couch next to him, and Blaise offered her a glass of firewhiskey, before giving her a cold kind of smile, like he knew something that she didn't. Merlin, she wished he wasn't so incredibly sneaky sometimes.

Blaise had suggested a drinking game, which Hermione was dreading, but she agreed to play, not wanting to seem like the uptight swot Blaise suggested she was. They somehow got into discussions of their first kiss, and Hermione had to admit that her's was Viktor Krum. She supposed she could do worse than an international Quidditch star.

Blaise admitted that his was Tracey, in third year, which Hermione was quite surprised about, as Tracey had never told them that. When it was Theo's turn, he blushed a bit, but answered anyway. "Daphne, last year."

Hermione tried not to react, wanting to be happy for her two friends. But it was Blaise who stuck the knife in deeper. "Was it at the Yule Ball?" He asked, sounding dreadfully nonchalant.

Theo initially looked like he didn't want to answer, staring at an imaginary spot on the cream colored carpet. "No, it was after that."

Hermione took a deep breath in through her nostrils. Why did it hurt so much more to know that? It was one thing if they'd kissed at the dance, but...had they gone on a date sometime? Neither one of them had said anything about it to her, not that it was really any of her business. She couldn't understand the squeezing feeling around her heart.

Determined push the thought from her memory, Hermione took a big gulp from the glass, relishing the burning feeling from the drink. Before long her head was floating and fuzzy and she was giggling at the things they were talking about. It seemed as if nothing in the world mattered at all.

Theo felt so warm sitting next to her, and she wanted to know what it might feel like to rest against him. Letting her eyelids drift shut, she tipped to her side and let her head droop to his shoulder. She felt him wrap his arm around her and his fingers slide through the curls of her hair, and she was amazed by how perfect this felt before she slipped off to sleep.

* * *

If Hermione had thought that the annoyed look on her father's face was bad upon waking up at the Zabinis home, the complete dressing down she got from Narcissa the next morning was even worse.

She'd been shocked awake by her father standing over her, her still snuggled into Theo's side. Her mind was still swimming from all of the firewhiskey she'd drunk, but she couldn't instantly see how upset he was with her. His voice was gruff, but calm. "Get up, Hermione. We are going home."

Hermione had struggled to get her bearings, but followed her father to the entrance where a house elf waited with their things. He instructed her to hold onto the international portkey, and it was by some miracle that she didn't spill her guts on the floor when they got back to Grimmauld Place. She'd tried to talk to her papa, confused, but he'd just sent her to bed and told her they'd talk to each other in the morning about what had happened. In her mind, she wondered what it was that had upset him so much - what she'd done to upset him so much.

Wanting to get details, she'd gone to the parlor when she'd woken up, but she didn't expect to see her Aunt Narcissa waiting there, drinking tea, with a tight look on her face. Her head was pounding from her headache, never having drank quite so much firewhiskey before. "I am very disappointed in you, Hermione." The blonde said severely.

Hermione couldn't stop her cheeks from turning red at the assessment. "I am sorry." She offered, still not really seeing what she was upset about. Sure, Hermione had some firewhiskey, and she was underage, but surely Narcissa knew that Draco drank quite a bit of firewhiskey at school?

"What were you thinking, being alone in a room with two young men without a chaperone?" Narcissa asked, her face looking a bit pained. "And sleeping on one no less!" The woman hissed as if Hermione had been caught killing baby peacocks.

Suddenly, everything that had happened was coming into clear focus. Merlin, she'd fallen asleep on Theo! Oh, she was so embarrassed...what would he think of her? Still, she wasn't dealing with Theo right now, she was dealing with Narcissa. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to. I just got tired and I only closed my eyes for a moment...and I didn't know that I couldn't be alone with Blaise...I thought that I was a guest at his mother's home, and that it would be acceptable."

She was trying to remember all of the rules she'd learned as a child, which had seemed so simple then. "Yes, well, if I'd known your father was going to let you...I would have insisted you stay at the Manor with us. Hermione, you must remember that your reputation is the most important thing that a pureblood girl has. Protect it, at all costs."

Hermione swallowed thickly, annoyed that she was being treated this way. It wasn't as though she'd kissed Blaise or Theo. And she thought that she was worth more than just whatever man she was able to marry, and Merlin knows that no one would want to marry her if there was any rumor that she was less than chaste. "I am sorry, Aunt Narcissa. I won't forget it. I give you my word as a Black."

Narcissa looked a bit placated at that. "Yes, I suppose, we've all made mistakes." She brushed her hair back over her shoulders. After that, obviously done with the conversation, her aunt left her half full tea cup on the table, and left the room, leaving Hermione alone with her thoughts.

She sat on the couch, wondering if she should ask Kreacher to make her some breakfast, for who knows how long. In the end, it was her papa who broke her from her thoughts when he padded into the room in his animagus form, hopping up on the couch, looking at her with mournful eyes.

Hermione had always loved his animagus form when she was little, when he would let her ride around on his back. She couldn't stop from scratching him behind the ears. Looking quite pleased, he transformed back into his human form, seated next to her on the couch. "Are you going to yell at me too?" She asked him, a bit annoyed.

He scratch the bit of neck behind his head. "No, honestly, it wasn't that bad, but I am a little disappointed, Hermione. I can't believe you were drunk and alone with those two boys." It had been hard to see the Nott boy with his arm around her shoulders, his fingers in her hair.

"Honestly Papa, it wasn't like that. Theo is one of my best friends, and Blaise and I avoided each other all summer." Hermione insisted. "Mostly I am just mortified that I fell asleep on Theo! He must be so annoyed with me."

"I don't think he minded too much." Her papa told her a bit cryptically. "I guess I just have to face that facts that you really are growing up. You'll be sixteen soon, and here I am still thinking of you as a little six year old whose only concern was getting pink sheets."

Hermione hugged him, not knowing what to say.

* * *

It wasn't ideal, but the Order of the Phoenix had been meeting at the Burrow to hold their meetings. The children were sequestered away upstairs, and the adults would sit around the long dining room, away from prying ears and eyes.

Dumbledore hadn't called for a meeting since the end of the First Wizarding War, but now that Voldemort was back, it was time for Order members to resume their posts. Most were nervous to hear of Voldemort's return, but eager to help. Dumbledore shared the information that his three spies had gathered, though they were quite annoyed to accept Snape's words again.

"He is looking for something that he didn't have last time. Severus can't be sure what it is he is looking for, yet." Dumbledore told the gathered crowd. "We must remain vigilant."

"How can we even trust a Severus?" Molly Weasley asked, her voice taking on that shrill quality that it had when she was nervous. "He could be laying a trap for us."

Dumbledore raised his hand. "I have another spy, who has confirmed it, only just this week."

"Another Death Eater, Albus? Do you think it's wise to be involved with so many Dark Wizards?" Moody's gruff voice questioned.

Dumbledore smiled. "Not a Death Eater, but heavily involved in the pureblooded society. I just ask that you trust me on this. The intelligence is good." There were some lingering grumbles from the other Order Members, but most of them agreed to defer to his decision.

It wasn't until he was leaving the charming little house, preferring to walk to the apparition point, instead of using the Floo in the living room. He heard someone running up to him, and was unsurprised to be joined by Remus Lupin. "Is it Sirius?" He asked, without preamble.

Dumbledore, who enjoyed a moment of being obtuse, resisted a smile. "Yes, I would say that the return of Voldemort is quite serious."

Remus didn't take a pause to think about his words, or disparage Dumbledore for his terrible joke. "No, is the other spy Sirius?" He insisted, wanting to know how his friend, one of his best friends, had just up and left their friends when James and Lily had died. Remus couldn't believe that he'd gone home to Walburga, a woman who Sirius hated more than anyone. He'd been even more perplexed when he'd met Sirius's daughter. Fuck, Remus didn't even know who the mother was! It didn't made sense!

"I am afraid that Sirius has never forgiven me for hiding Hermione from him." Dumbledore told Remus, but waited for further questioning.

"So Hermione is his daughter." Remus said quietly. He hadn't wanted to believe, it seemed implausible. But then, Sirius being in charge of a girl that wasn't his own was more implausible. "Who is her mother? Why did you keep her from him?"

"Hermione was born to Marlene McKinnon, while she was in hiding with her parents. I didn't think that he could handle the additional pressure of knowing he had a child, and Marlene agreed." Dumbledore said, stroking his long beard. "But now I see that...it wasn't the right decision, to keep Hermione from him."

Remus's head was spinning. Of course, Sirius and Marlene had dated for a while, but they had never been serious. He couldn't believe that Sirius had somehow messed up the contraceptive charm or that Marlene wouldn't tell him. Still, it was hard to remember the intense fear and pressure that everyone was under back then. The painful memories had faded into the background.

"And she lives with Sirius now?" Remus asked, even more surprised that Sirius had really done a remarkable job with his daughter. Not that he didn't believe in his friend, but rather because Sirius had never said anything about wanting to be a father.

"As far as I know. She is a well adjusted, intelligent girl, Remus, you might remember from your time at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said, finally at the apparition point. "I haven't felt it necessary or prudent to pry into her home life."

Remus stood there, long after Dumbledore had apparated away, trying to wrap his head around Sirius as a father. He was so enthralled, that he'd completely forgotten his crazy little idea that Sirius was spying for the Order.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Wow! Thanks so much to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter. Huge thank you to all of the reviewers as well! You guys rock! Glad that you are liking Sirius a bit more now, LOL. Also, I think you all will enjoy this chapter...Hermione makes a pretty big revelation about herself.

You can follow me on tumblr, nauticalparamour. Please let me know what you thought of chapter fourteen and be on the lookout for chapter fifteen soon!

* * *

For how nervous she had been to see Theo again after she'd fallen asleep on him, it seemed that Theo hadn't given it a second thought. When they met on the train, he looked as though he might say something, but then it seemed that he realized they were in a full carriage. Draco was seated next to her and had been keeping a very close eye.

Merlin, she hoped Narcissa hadn't said anything to him! Or rather, she knew that Narcissa _had_ said something to Draco, because he was keeping a closer eye on her, she just hoped that her aunt hadn't deemed it necessary to tell her why. If Draco's new embrace of his duties as chaperone had anything to do with Theo, he didn't make it obvious.

Determined to pretend like nothing ever happened, Hermione quickly pulled Daphne into a discussion about her summer. Apparently, her little sister, Astoria, who was going to be a third year, had been a little terror all summer. It seemed to Hermione that Daphne's parents had always doted on Astoria, and now it was coming to bite them on the arse.

When they got to the Great Hall for the start of term feast, Hermione was surprised that Theo chose to take the seat next to her. She could feel the heat of his leg, the scratchiness of his wool trousers on the bare skin of her leg, and fought to keep her breathing under control. Why was she acting like this around him? Yes, he'd become quite fit over the summer, but he was still just Theo. Her friend.

She watched the sorting of the students dispassionately. Another Avery, and Fawley made their way to Slytherin house, as well as a Rosier. Hermione was surprised to hear that, seeing as she thought the Rosiers had all died out - a cousin perhaps? They were rounded out by twin girls, Slewyns.

While the Headmaster gave his speech, Hermione mostly ignored his message of doom and gloom, and instead focused on the number of twins at Hogwarts. Really, it seemed somewhat like an anomaly. Where there more twins in the wizarding world? She was pretty sure that everyone knew that things were getting quite serious with Voldemort back, even though the Ministry was denying it.

Looking at the confused faces surrounding her in the Great Hall, though, Hermione suddenly realized that maybe they didn't know. Maybe everyone did believe the Ministry and didn't believe Potter. That was unexpected.

Before she could consider it too much more, she was distracted by a sugary sweet voice that was anything but pleasant. It was the kind of sweetness that had your teeth and jaw aching. She was surprised to see the woman in the atrocious pink robes standing to give a speech. Hermione straightened and listened to what she had to say.

It didn't take Hermione long to realize that this woman had been placed here by the Ministry. Hermione didn't pay much attention to politics, but she knew that Fudge was paranoid, and constantly accused people of being out for his job. Based on what the Ministry witch, their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge was saying, it seemed to Hermione that Fudge thought Dumbledore had made up the whole Voldemort thing to get into the Ministry.

After her little speech, filled with insipid giggles, she was surprised to see that none of her Slytherin friends seemed too concerned, until she looked next to her, to Theo. His eyes were focused, pensive, and she could see a little wrinkle had formed between his eyebrows.

He made eye contact with her, frowning. "Well, that was interesting." He said, the words of the witch still churning in his mind. "I wonder what kind of teacher she is going to be."

Hermione smiled. She could always count on Theo to be as studious as she was. "Yes, it doesn't seem like she has really any credentials in teaching or defense against the dark arts. I will be curious to review the syllabus."

It was a bit disappointing to her that he didn't seem to read the subtext that the Ministry was purposefully interfering at Hogwarts, and what that might mean. But she was sure that it wouldn't be secret for long.

Resolving to mention it to her father, she tucked into dinner and tried to push the concerns from her mind.

* * *

It seemed that her friends would never go to sleep, so that Hermione could contact her papa on their two way mirror. She'd painted her nails with Tracey and even let Daphne put her hair in some special curlers that you were meant to sleep in, but they had still gossiped for an additional hour longer than they usually would have.

If any of the gossip had been particularly useful, Hermione might have cared more, but mostly everyone was just discussing what they'd been doing over the summer. Tracey looked quite put out that Hermione had spent the summer with Blaise - though Hermione didn't question her about Tracey being Blaise's first kiss. No, she'd save that for a later date.

Daphne had taken a trip to the alps with her family, but she didn't have much to say. Apparently, her parents were already discussing marriage contracts for her and Astoria, but Hermione supposed if you had two daughters, that's how purebloods dealt with it. Hermione got the impression that Mr. Greengrass wasn't involved with Voldemort, but he certainly agreed with blood purity.

Pansy and Millicent, whose fathers were Death Eaters, Hermione knew from discussions with her papa this summer, as well as unsubtle hints from Uncle Lucius, didn't have anything interesting to report. Hermione figured that they were both so vapid, that even if their fathers revealed something vitally important to Voldemort's cause, they wouldn't even realize it. Pansy was being exceedingly annoying, bragging about how she'd been made prefect with Draco, how Dumbledore must have seen how well they worked together.

That had Hermione rolling her eyes. Would Pansy ever realize that Draco wasn't interested in her seriously? Though, Hermione was a little bit put out at not having been chosen to be prefect, seeing as she had the highest marks in her class. She supposed it came down to Dumbledore knowing that she was undercover, and Professor Snape still not really liking her.

Finally, though, all the girls got into their beds, and Hermione shut the curtains before setting up the proper protection spells to keep her conversation free from eavesdroppers. Then she held up the mirror and called for her papa.

The way he scratched behind his ear reminded her of when he was in his animagus form. That alone had her biting her lip with worry. Just how much time was he spending as Padfoot when she was at Hogwarts? She worried enough about him being alone in Grimmauld Place for long stretches, the thought of him reverting to dog form had her heart clenching.

"Merlin, Hermione, what are you wearing on your head?" Her papa asked her as soon as her image cleared in the mirror, probably not the nicest thing to say to your teenage daughter.

"Hello to you, too, papa." Hermione said, scowling. "They are curlers. Daphne put them in for me, in hopes of giving me some more control over my bushy hair." Hermione had an increasingly love hate relationship with her wild hair. She knew that it made her look like a Black, and it sometimes made her look quite pretty, but it also occasionally made her look like she had a rat's nest on her hair, and they were difficult to control.

"Sorry sweetheart." Her papa told her sheepishly. "It was just a bit of a shock. I'm glad you rang, I have some news for you." He scratched his beard. "I talked with Dumbledore and he's told the Order that there are two additional spies working to bring down Voldemort, but he didn't say who it was."

Hermione nodded, but it made her nervous. She hoped that it didn't get back to any of the Gryffindors, as they weren't exactly sneaky or subtle when they were searching for information. "And, I passed along some intelligence I gathered when we were with Maddalena. Voldemort's looking for something. A weapon. Something he didn't have before."

Hermione frowned at that. "A weapon?" What could it possibly be? Not something meant to cause physical harm, she supposed. She didn't think that the Dark Lord would deign to use anything but a wand.

"Yes, but I am sure that Harry will have heard about it or been told about it as well." Sirius said, unsure how he felt about it. He supposed that Harry deserved all of the information that was available to him. Voldemort was after Harry, he just hoped that Harry wouldn't go putting himself in harm's way.

"So everyone in the school will know about it by the end of the month." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Seeing her father's look, Hermione shrugged. "What, Gryffindors aren't really known for being sneaky or subtle."

"I'll have you know I was _quite_ sneaky while I was at Hogwarts. Still am." Sirius defended, before smiling, remembering all of his brilliant pranks. "Now, did you have anything to share, or did you just miss seeing dear old dad's face?"

Hermione suddenly got quite serious. "Yes, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, she is from Ministry. I think she means to interfere with our course work and the very least, and with the way Dumbledore operates Hogwarts."

Her papa's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well, this is certainly the first I am hearing about it. But, I wouldn't put it past Fudge after what happened last year with the Tournament. He's always thought that Dumbledore was after his job." He was quiet for a beat. "Still, this ministry witch could be nothing. Let me know how things go with her in classes."

Hermione happily agreed. "I will papa. Thanks for chatting with me. I love you."

Sirius's heart still clenched a bit to hear her say it. If only James could see him now, being such a doting father. "I love you too, sweetheart. Now get some rest. You've classes tomorrow."

* * *

From her very first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Hermione knew that Professor Umbridge was going to be trouble. Somehow, she thought it was a good idea to not teach any practicum, instead focusing only on book learning.

In the little pink toad's eyes, no one would need to know how to protect themselves from the dark arts, because no one was practicing them, and everything in the wizarding world was perfectly safe. Hermione had snorted at that, knowing full well that her Uncle Lucius was a practitioner of the dark arts, and not particularly quiet about it either. Hell, even she had before, if only to satisfy her academic curiosities.

Harry Potter had said as much in class, much to the annoyance of his classmates, and received a detention for his troubles. Professor Umbridge did **not** enjoy being questioned. Hermione was surprised to learn that many of the Gryffindors didn't believe Potter about Voldemort being back either. The Daily Prophet must have waged quite the smear campaign against him.

Professor Umbridge's interference at Hogwarts was more insidious than just choosing not to teach them in class, though. She quickly became involved in discipline at all levels, teaming up with Filch who was always a little too eager to punish students with old fashioned implements like thumb screws. She made all kind of ridiculous rules, which were silly, but the Slytherins were only too happy to work within them if it meant getting the Gryffindors in trouble.

After the very first Quidditch match of the season, which had unfortunately been a Slytherin-Gryffindor match, Draco had gotten Potter and the Weasley teams banned from Quidditch for life - though Hermione wasn't sure _how_ she'd enforce it - by Professor Umbridge.

Being that it was a Slytherin Gryffindor match, tensions were always high, but being that it was the very first of the season made tensions rise to a fever pitch. Hermione had sat politely in the stands with her friends, cuddling next to Theo when the winds got a bit too bitter, watching Draco. He was really quite an excellent flyer, Hermione mused, and quite skilled as a seeker.

It just so happened that Potter was a bit more of a natural seeker. He had a slighter build, and just an instinct to go for the snitch that couldn't be taught, even though Hermione thought that Draco was the more talented flyer. He'd have been suited to another position, but of course, Draco was Potter's nemesis, which meant they had to play the same position.

Hermione had grimaced, seeing the little skirmish that happened on the Quidditch pitch after Potter had caught the snitch. She could tell by the way that Draco was smirking, and the way that the Weasley Twins' faces turned red that this was not going to go well. Sure enough, moments later the trio attacked Draco, only to be pushed back by Crabbe and Goyle.

Later, when they returned to the Common Room, Hermione approached Draco with her hands on her hips, her lips pursed, giving him her very best impression that she was not happy with him. "Well, are you happy with yourself then?"

Draco looked up and her and gave her a genuine smile. "Of course I am Hermione. Why don't you sit down, and I can tell you all about how I got three of the Gryffindors permanently banned from Quidditch and I got their brooms confiscated. Well, not that the Weasleys' are much to care about."

Hermione hated it, but she did find herself sitting down next to Draco, and laughing along with the others at Draco's spot on impersonation of Professor McGonagall. "I didn't know that you could pull of a Scottish accent." Hermione teased him. "One would think you've been practicing."

From the slight blush on Draco's pale cheeks, she figured that she was right.

* * *

It didn't take a genius to figure out that the Gryffindors were up to something. They were always huddling over at their table during mealtimes, whispering furiously to each other and jumping at every little noise around them. However, it did take an intelligent person to figure out what exactly they were up to.

During the first Hogsmeade weekend, Hermione noticed that a lot of the Gryffindors, some of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were acting quite strangely. She begged off her girl friends, who all wanted to go to Madame Puddifoot's to spy on someone's date, that she was going to the bookstore, something she was sure that no one would question.

If Theo had been there, she was sure that he'd want to come along, but luckily for her, the boys were having a "guys' day". Hermione wasn't sure what that entailed, but she was happy to have some distance between them. Recently, she'd been...well, she wasn't sure what was up with her. Thinking about Theo had her all confused.

It wasn't difficult to track the small hoard of students to the Hog's Head pub, which had Hermione even more interested. This wasn't the group that would willingly choose to come to this part of Hogsmeade village, but here they were, all entering the grungy pub. Didn't they know that it was something of a Slytherin hangout?

Hermione bit her lip, unsure of what to do. She couldn't just waltz into the Hog's Head by herself! Well, of course, she _could_. There was nothing stopping her, but for fear that they wouldn't do whatever it was they were planning if she was there.

Creeping around towards the back of the pub, she spotted a little window that was well hidden by dusty old bottles of firewhiskey and gin, but she still had a clear view of the interior of the pub. Well, she would have a clear view once she cleaned some of the grime off of the window. Casting a cleansing spell, she pressed her face against the glass.

Hermione wasn't surprised to see Harry Potter in the pub. It was no secret that, while he didn't have permission to go, Potter was still able to sneak into Hogsmeade somehow. Though it had been reported to Professor Snape, there was nothing the teachers could do without evidence, or without catching Potter in the act. It was something that really annoyed the Slytherins, as it seemed a bit of preferential treatment.

There were a mixture of house affiliations in the room, and Hermione noted that Potter, Longbottom and Weasley stood in the front of the room, as if awkwardly trying to lead some kind of meeting. They were getting some pushback from the other students, until Loony Lovegood asked a question and Potter reluctantly answered.

Merlin, Hermione wished she could hear what they were saying. It was slightly useful to know that they were plotting something, but without know what that was exactly, she wasn't able to pass along anything useful to her father or attempt to aid them from behind the scenes. The meeting ended with most of the students in the room signing some scrap of parchment.

That was unexpected, Hermione decided. She tried to make a note of who all was there, and resolved to write down their names when she got back to her dorm. She would just have to keep an eye on all of them until she could figure out they were up to.

Longbottom was probably the best person to follow. He was so clumsy and notoriously forgetful - Hermione remembered him having a remembrall in first year - so he was unlikely to notice her espionage. If she was lucky, he would lead her right to their little group.

* * *

She realized it one night in the library, when she and Theo were poring over centuries old books for their Arithmancy assignment. She'd just been sitting there, her mind blissfully empty of any thoughts of homework, when she realized that she liked Theo...she more than liked Theo. She had a crush on him.

Hermione had been so preoccupied by his light green eyes moving back and forth across the paper, his long fingers turning the old, yellow pages, that the puzzle pieces had fallen in place. Of course, she noticed that she was quite physically attracted to him. His hair, which had nearly been blond when they met as children, was now a brown shade that suited him perfectly, and was coiffed in a way that reminded her a bit of a naughty schoolboy. She supposed he _was_ a bit of a naughty schoolboy.

Merlin, she wanted to kiss him and run her hair through that perfect hair, and muss it up. She wondered what it looked like first thing in the morning, her mouth half open at the thought. His lips were fairly normal, but Hermione still fantasized about what they might feel like pressed against her lips or against her neck.

She'd recognized the tremendous growth spurt he'd gone through the previous summer. Before he looked a bit gangly and would have been described as stringy by his enemies, but he'd certainly filled out. His shoulders were broad and straining under his white uniform shirt, and she could see the healthy muscle of his forearm where he'd rolled up the sleeves. Before he'd still been a boy, but now, at age sixteen, Hermione could clearly see that he was becoming a man.

She was so comfortable around him that she'd been perfectly content to fall asleep on his shoulder, and he was kind enough to wrap an arm around her when they were watching Quidditch together, to keep her warm. She loved the time that they spent in the library, just the two of them because he was studious and able to keep up with her, but also she just enjoyed spending time with him.

So, she'd sat there wondering why the thought of Daphne and Theo being together bothered her so much, and it was then that it all clicked. She wanted Theo to be _her_ boyfriend, not Daphne's. And, the squeezing pain in her heart that occurred when she thought of them kissing each other was heartache.

Hermione swallowed thickly, thinking that up against Daphne, though, she didn't have a chance. Daphne was so beautiful and Hermione knew that she was just kind of plain, with bushy hair and a know-it-all personality that put off even her closest friends sometimes. Why would Theo ever choose her over Daphne?

Why would his green eyes, the color of the first day of spring, ever look at her with longing or desire?

Blinking, Hermione realized that Theo really _was_ staring at her, but with concern for her well being. His eyes searched her face, and his eyebrows drew together, before he inquired after her health. "Are you alright, Hermione? You look quite flushed."

Hermione felt a blush deepen on her cheeks. Merlin, she couldn't believe she'd just been caught daydreaming about him! At least he didn't seem to notice. "I'm fine, it's just a bit warm in here." She lied. Usually, the library was freezing to her.

From the look on his face, it was clear that he didn't believe her. "Hm, maybe we should get back to the Common Room. It's quite late, and I don't want you getting sick right before the Christmas holidays." Then, he began packing up his books.

Hermione packed up as well. Well, Hermione, she thought to herself, now you know that you have a crush on you, but what on earth are you going to do about it?


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thank you all so much for favoriting or following after last chapter! Huge thank you to all the reviewers as well! You guys are so nice and leave me such thoughtful comments. It makes writing this story a breeze :) I might start posting guest reviewer responses on my tumblr (nauticalparamour) since I can't PM you here, so you can check there.

This chapter has a LOT of drama, and it's the longest chapter yet, so I would love to hear what you think about it! Be on the lookout for chapter sixteen soon!

* * *

Hermione stood in the full ballroom feeling a bit awkward and out of place. Aunt Narcissa had helped her pick out a gorgeous dress - in dark red - that hugged her every newly found curve, and spent hours taming her hair and putting on her makeup, but Hermione still felt like the plain looking bookworm she usually was. She might look like a pureblood daughter, and sound like one too, but this kind of event made her feel so out of place.

But it wasn't as if she just couldn't decline an invite to the Malfoy's annual Yule party, especially considering this was the first time she was invited. She'd passed from annoying child to pawn who need a marriage contract. Her father had been by her side for the beginning of the night, but he'd been pulled away by someone - Thickenesse, Hermione thought - leaving her alone.

That was until Draco came up to her to keep her company. She was a bit envious of her cousin's good looks, with his perfect white blond hair and gray eyes. The pair of them couldn't look less related, Hermione thought, with a smirk. "Did mother really pick out that dress? You look like a Gryffindor." Draco said, a disdainful look on his face.

Hermione scoffed. Sometimes Draco was so black and white about things. "Merlin, is red ruined for you forever? Please don't tell me that green is actually your favorite color." Seeing the look on Draco's face, she knew that it was. "Yes, your mother selected this for me, she said it suited my coloring." Hermione told him haughtily.

"Well, it's a...very flattering dress." He said, a bit of a pained look on his face. It was nice to know that she had an ally in Draco in the matter of Lucius wanting to pair them up for a marriage contract. Draco was just as disgusted by the idea as she was, and it seemed that seeing definitive proof of her womanhood was too much for him to digest. "Come on, mother and father have some people that they want us to meet."

Hermione took his offered arm, highly intrigued. Normally, pureblood culture would dictate that she be introduced by her father, so she wondered what would have made Aunt Narcissa break from tradition. A trickle of fear ran up her spine when he lead her from the main ballroom, off towards Lucius's study. Was it possible that she'd been found out somehow?

Instead, she was met by an enthusiastic greeting from her Aunt and Uncle, and was surprised to see three other people waiting in the room, none of them looking dressed for the party, wearing just casual robes. The woman looked a bit deranged, and Hermione had put it all together by the time that Narcissa was busy introducing them. She'd seen the Daily Prophet, after all.

"Hermione, darling, I want you to meet my sister, Bellatrix Lestrange." Narcissa pushed her towards the witch with wild, curly Black hair. So this was the woman that so many said she took after. Hermione saw the similarities, but she doubted it would be suggested if they didn't share family. Hermione guessed that Bellatrix's hair was only wild because she didn't do anything to take care of it.

"Pleased to meet you Cousin Bellatrix." Hermione said, swallowing her fear, and leaning forward to place a kiss on each of Bellatrix's cheeks. It made her skin crawl. She knew what this woman and done and what she'd been sent to Azkaban for. Hermione might think that Neville Longbottom was a bit of a dope, but that didn't mean she was okay with torture.

"Ah, you are the little pup of Sirius's I've been hearing so much about." Bellatrix said, her voice cooing as if she was talking to a baby, but her eyes were clearly studying her. "I can't see what about _you_ would make Sirius came back to the fold, but you seem to have grown up...acceptably." She said, sneer on her face.

Hermione wasn't sure if this was meant to be a compliment or what, so she stayed silent, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from speaking, and desperately wishing she could hold her wand in her hand, but knowing that that would definitely be seen as a threat.

It seemed that was the right thing to do in Bellatrix's mind, because she gave a small smile before introducing the two men. "This is my husband Rodolphus, and his brother Rabastan Lestrange." Hermione offered her hand to each of them, and they both took it happily. Hermione wasn't sure what it was about the brothers that made her skin crawl, but she wanted to be out of their presence as quickly as possible. She thought maybe it was the lingering insanity from Azkaban, as all three of them seemed a bit touched.

She knew that Lucius, Narcissa and Draco wouldn't let anything happen to her while she was with them. But then again, what had they been thinking taking in and harboring three escaped criminals? It was madness, even for family.

Narcissa smiled at the happy little introduction, sure that things had gone swimmingly. Hermione tried to keep a serene smile on her face, try to act like the dumb little twit she was expected to be, and was only too glad to be dismissed from the room. "Draco, why don't you and Hermione go and rejoin the party. And do take your cousin for a turn around the room. She looks so beautiful tonight."

Hermione took Draco's arm and let him lead her from the room, but felt the unsettling feeling of eyes following her every step from the room.

* * *

Draco did take her for a turn about the room, before insisting that they dance three waltzes together. "Please, you have to be my partner." Draco had pleaded, doing a good impression of a puppy dog. "There is no one else here my age, and Mrs. Slewyn always pinches my cheeks." He told her with a grimace.

That had Hermione giggling at the image, as the old woman clearly thought that she was still quite the catch as a widow, though she was quite old. Draco was good company too, as he always did the best impressions of the obnoxious people in the room. He was very good at mimicking their voices.

Soon, though, her papa did save her from Draco's dance card. "Don't you have time for one dance with your old man?" He asked, with a self-deprecating smile. It wasn't as though her papa didn't have his own number of suitors, being a good looking man from a good family, who wasn't terribly ancient. Plus he was an excellent dancer, Hermione thought.

Still, she was eventually forced off by herself, though, when another woman asked to dance with her father. Hermione sighed, and looked around, she was disappointed to see that Draco was nowhere to be found either. She decided now was probably the best time to head from the ballroom to freshen up in the powder room. Hopefully, by the time that she returned, more pleasurable company would be available to her.

Closing the door quietly behind her, Hermione slipped into the hallway. It was quite eerie, hearing the muted music from the ballroom in the dim light of the hallway. She had been on high alert all night, so her hair was all on edge.

Suddenly, she was grabbed around the upper arm, and she realized that she'd been pulled into Uncle Lucius's study. The only problem was it wasn't Uncle Lucius who was pressing against her, pushing her into the wood paneling of the wall. Hermione squirmed desperately, trying to get away until whoever it was finally turned her around.

She was shocked to come face to face with Rabastan Lestrange, whose predatory smile was sickening to her. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me for long witch." His teeth were crooked and stained from his time in Azkaban, making Hermione shrink away from him further.

"I wasn't looking for you. I was just on my way to the bathroom." Hermione insisted, still trying to force herself away from the older man. "So please let me go." She tried to be the prim and proper little miss that everyone expected of her, but her heart was hammering so loud she thought it might leap from her chest. She _needed_ to get away from him.

Rabastan had other plans, and let his fingertips trace down the side of her face, down her neck, across her collarbone, and stopping only at the top of her breast. "Now, now, I could see from the way that you looked at me before that you wanted me." From this vantage point, Hermione could tell that he might have been an attractive man before Azkaban, but knowing his odious personality made him repulsive. "I might just have to ask your daddy for an understanding with you." He teased.

She felt his hot breath on her neck, and renewed her struggle, wanting to get away. "Then you should approach my father, and not me, if marriage is your intention. Although, I should not suggest it because I am very used to getting what I want, and you are not that." She said firmly, before bringing her leg up between his legs, connecting with his most sensitive of areas.

Rabastan immediately recoiled, dropping to his knees, gasping. Hermione quickly pulled out her wand, and trained it on his prone form, stepping away. She cursed at feeling the little tears that had formed in her eyes slide down her cheeks. How could she have let this happen to herself?

Just then, the door opened, and Hermione turned to see Draco and Theo enter the room. "Hermione? What's going on in here?" Draco demanded, seeing Rabastan in clear pain huddled on the floor in front of her.

"It's nothing." Hermione said not wanting to have to put into words what had just happened to her. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with Rabastan Lestrange. "How did you find me?" She asked, surprised that anyone had followed her.

"I had just arrived with father, when I noticed you leave the ballroom. It seemed that you were gone for a long time, so we came after you." Theo said, wanting to wrap the shaking girl in his arms. Instead, he contented himself to just reach for her hand, as he knew that it wouldn't be appropriate. He also wondered if it would even be welcomed. She was shaking like a leaf.

"Should we tell father?" Draco asked Hermione, obviously confused about what to do.

She bit her lip, wanting nothing more than to let the world know what had happened, so that it wouldn't happen again, but at the same time, she had to remember the world that she lived in. Most likely, nothing would happen to Rabastan, and if she was unlucky, she might just end up forced into a marriage contract with him - to be unchaperoned with an older man...sometimes she hated the backwards way that the wizarding world worked.

But in the end, this just served a reminder that these people, these Death Eaters, were dangerous and she could never let her guard down around them. "No, I don't think so. I'd just like to go back to the party now." Hermione said, before taking Theo's offered arm, not giving once glance to Rabastan Lestrange.

* * *

Sirius knew that something must have happened to Hermione at the party at Malfoy Manor, because she wasn't acting like she normally did. He had been intending to pry the details out of her later, probably though the promise of several books. He wasn't expecting his young cousin to tell him what had happened.

Hermione was dancing on the dancefloor with Theo Nott, a young man who Sirius was suddenly thinking he should learn more about, when Draco came up to him, looking considerably paler than usual. "I just thought you should know, that father introduced Hermione and I to my Aunt, her husband and brother-in-law this evening." Draco said clearly, but quietly. Sirius knew that it must be going against his instincts to share this.

It hadn't taken long for Sirius to see red. He had never been so furious in his life, that Lucius would undermine his authority as a parent and introduce her to the one woman he'd been dreading meeting again. If he'd had his way, Hermione never would have been exposed to Bellatrix at all. He'd hoped that it was an improbability, as she was in Azkaban, but that was moot once the Dark Lord had broken her and her merry band of idiots out. Still, Lucius should have asked him first.

He could barely control his rage to wait for the waltz to end so that he could go collect Hermione with a tight smile. "Hermione, I am afraid that it is time for us to retire for the evening." He watched two steps away while she said goodnight to Nott, before taking her hand and leading her out to floo home. He didn't even stop to say goodbye to Narcissa.

Although Hermione could tell that he was upset, he didn't tell her what was wrong, and instead, sent her to bed. She'd had a trying night, though, so she didn't put up an argument.

In the morning, he was only too happy to floo back to Malfoy Manor to speak to Lucius. He shoved the door to his study open, and enjoyed Lucius's surprised face momentarily. "What the fuck were you thinking introducing _my daughter_ to Bellatrix without my leave?" Sirius groused, the evening of contemplation doing little to calm his temper.

Lucius gave Sirius one of those tight little smiles. "Really, Sirius, they are family. Do I really need permission for that?" Lucius asked in that slippery way that he was known for.

"Yes! I never wanted Hermione to meet Bellatrix." Sirius said vehemently.

"And why not?" Lucius asked, only to watch Sirius snap his mouth shut. "Listen, Black, I know that you have been talking the talk about being a good pureblood, but are you willing to walk the walk? If you say that you want pureblood society advanced, well then...Bellatrix is going to be a part of it."

Sirius knew he was treading on thin ice. "But Hermione is just a girl. I don't want her getting mixed up in that." He said weakly. "And I won't get the mark, Lucius, you know that." Sirius said, looking down. That was one line that he wasn't willing to cross.

"Hermione is not just a girl, anymore. She will be introduced to society soon, and then, she will be married to a pureblood of good standing." Lucius said, his eyebrows raised. "And I know of your feelings about Regulus, but there are other ways of supporting our cause. I understand your father was always willing to donate."

Sirius sighed, knowing it was the truth. Was it really better to fund the terror of the death eaters rather than actively participate? It left a sour taste in his mouth, but he knew his family would approve of the expense. "Yes, of course." He conceded. He could do this if it meant he didn't have to take the mark.

"Excellent. I just need proof, you know, Sirius, that you really are true to our cause. This will go a long way." Lucius said with a smile.

"You know I've been devoted to upholding pureblood ideals for the last fourteen years, Lucius. I just ask that you leave the decisions concerning Hermione to me." Sirius told the blond man, perhaps a bit more forcefully than intended, but keeping Hermione as safe as possible was his number one concern.

"Of course. Brandy?" Lucius offered, not seeming to care that it was only half past eight in the morning.

Sirius declined, wanting to return home to his daughter. The whole exchange left a bitter taste in his mouth and he wondered once again if he was making the right choices.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean you can't do anything about it?" Sirius practically roared in the Headmaster's office. Merlin, he couldn't believe that he'd actually even liked this man, thought he was cool, always turning a blind eye to the Marauders' mischief. How could he have been so naive?

"It would be too suspicious. There is no reason to request a search, and my sway in the Ministry is the lowest its ever been." Dumbledore said, holding his hands out in front of him, as if to say his hands were tied.

Sirius scoffed. "So I hand you three escaped Death Eaters on a fucking platter and you won't do anything? What's the point of having someone on the inside if nothing will be done with the information that's given?" He ran both hands through his hair, before running a hand down his face, massaging at the pounding pain in his temples. "Bella and her husband and brother-in-law are _not_ going to spend their time lounging about in Malfoy Manor. They will be out there causing death and destruction."

"I'm sorry Sirius. I can't do anything right now." Dumbledore said firmly. Sirius didn't think that the old man was sorry about anything. "Now, I won't speak of this any more with you, today."

The black haired wizard stalked off towards the Floo, not willing to say goodbye to the man who'd manipulated him into this existence. He'd spent enough time away from Hermione that day as it was.

* * *

After the holidays, Draco stayed by Hermione's side, recognizing that something had happened to her, but wanting to give her time to tell him. He didn't want to pry, after it had so obviously rattled her. Finally, when she got sick of his hovering, she asked him to speak alone, and told him that her virtue - the word spat out as if it was something toxic - was in tact, and that Rabastan had pressed against her, but nothing else, before telling her he might like an understanding.

Draco was suitably annoyed by the lack of propriety shown by the younger Lestrange, but he was mostly just glad that Hermione was mostly unharmed. It didn't take long for her to shed the fragility that had trailed back to Hogwarts with her, and resume her mantle of strong, young woman.

That was, of course, until Weasley had confronted her on their way back from Herbology. He grabbed her by the arm, spinning her around to face him, his face already red with rage. If he saw the way that she flinched and shrank away, he didn't make it known. "You awful bitch, I have something to say to you." Weasley spat at her, not caring who heard.

Hermione's eyes widened, but she didn't say anything, instead pulling her arm away from him, and pulling her wand, in defense.

"If anything happens to my father or anyone else in my family, you just might find yourself or your family on the wrong side of an accident." He threatened, making Hermione tighten her hand around her wand. She couldn't believe that he would just come out and blatantly threaten her. She could easily go to Professor Snape with this.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." She said harshly, wishing that someone from her house had stuck around as late as she had, cleaning up her station.

"Don't pretend that you don't know about Voldemort sending his little pet snake after my father! He almost died!" Weasley spat, his spittle visible in the cold air. Hermione took a step away, and she saw Longbottom's eyes flicker in concern. Concern for her, perhaps? She's studied him a lot while following his around the castle, and she could easily identify his facial expressions. Still, he made no move to stop Weasley. "You're one of them, just another snake, another Death Eater. You're surrounded by them - Malfoy, Nott, Crabbe - I bet even your father is a Death Eater."

Hermione felt white hot rage in her veins. "My father is _not_ a Death Eater!" Hermione insisted. How was it possible that Weasley had laid all the blame at her feet? She hadn't even heard that Mr. Weasley was ill. Why would he pin it on _her?_

"We know, Black. We know that your father is Harry's godfather. And he hasn't even looked in on him once, leaving him with those awful muggles." Ron said, again leading the charge. Hermione chanced a look at Potter. He looked truly hurt. Hermione knew this is exactly what her papa feared, but it was the first that she was hearing about muggles.

"If your father was such good friends with my father, why would he turn his back on everything they believed in?" Potter asked, his voice had a hard edge to it, even if his face did not. Why would they expect her to have these answers? Her papa barely even talked to her about James.

Ron smirked at her. "You know Harry, blood never lies. Her father's whole family were Slytherins, and it was just a fluke that he ended up in Gryffindor. He was a snake all along."

Hermione felt tears form in her eyes. How wrong they all were about her father! She wanted to tell them about how he still had his motorbike, down in the South of France, the one he and James had ridden around on. Or how he still smoked muggle cigarettes out on the balcony when he thought she wouldn't notice. Or how he was doing all of this, giving up decades of his life for Harry bloody Potter! How much he longed to be in Harry's life...how he always thought the best of Harry. It hurt her to hear them bad mouth her father when he didn't ask for this, and was instead taken advantage of by Dumbledore.

"Maybe you don't know all the facts, Potter. Maybe you don't know your own beloved Headmaster Dumbledore as well as you think." She said before turning on her heel, needing to get away from them before she started crying in earnest. Dumbledore was the puppet master in all this hurt, but it didn't mean that Potter's careless assumptions didn't hurt any less.

* * *

Hermione had returned to the dorms, and promptly burst into tears once she landed on her bed, not even having time to put up a silencing charm. She thought that she wanted to be alone, but as soon as she felt Daphne's arm wrap around her shoulder, and push her hair behind an ear, Hermione knew that she needed a good listener.

Daphne sat their patiently, and listened to Hermione cry about the awful things that Weasley had said about her, though she did think that Hermione's reaction was a little bit out of proportion. Still, the blonde wasn't used to seeing her independent friend break down like this, so she tried her best to sooth Hermione.

"Weasley is an absolute tosser." Daphne said with a sympathetic smile. "I can't believe that Potter and Longbottom just go along with his hotheaded antics. If he wasn't around the two of them wouldn't be half-bad." Daphne said, running her fingers through Hermione's long hair, gently easing through the tangles that had formed in the wind.

Hermione giggled at that remembering Daphne's crush on Harry. "Are you still after Potter's heart, Daph?" She teased good naturedly.

Daphne scowled. "Well, I think he's still rather good looking, don't you? But, he doesn't have the right kind of attitude for someone like me." Hermione knew that that meant that he was a half-blood and she was a pureblood, so even if they loved each other, her family would never agree.

Once her tears were dried and Daphne cast a little concealing charm on Hermione's face, they were ready to head down for dinner. "Say, Hermione, do you want a way to get back at Weasley, but above board?"

Hermione cocked her head to the side. Yes, she did want a way to shove Weasley down, without getting in trouble. He wasn't worth the house points or the detentions. "What are you suggesting?" She asked, intrigued.

"Well, I've just heard that Professor Umbridge is starting an Inquisitorial Squad. It's to help with the lax discipline at school." Daphne said, matter of factly. "Members can even take points off of prefects."

Hermione thought that sounded like a marvelous little idea. Not only would she be able to take points from Weasley, but she'd be able to do a bit more reconnaissance work to figure out what Potter and his groupies from Hogsmeade were up to. "I think that sounds like an excellent idea, Daphne. Let's go sign up after dinner."


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Wow! This story has surpassed 400 reviews! Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited or followed after last chapter! This story is now just over half way complete and it is by far the longest thing I have written. I really love that so many people are enjoying it because I have really enjoyed sharing it.

A bit more drama for Hermione this chapter...I am beginning to think I am a bit mean to her. I think that sixth year will be much more positive for our heroine. Please let me know what you thought of chapter sixteen and be on the lookout for chapter seventeen soon!

* * *

Try as he might, Neville couldn't help but have a crush on the fierce girl that had been trailing him since before winter break. He knew he shouldn't, especially with the way that Ron was always yelling about her in the Common Room. If Neville didn't know any better, he might think that Ron had a bit of a crush on the Slytherin.

It was true that Hermione Black wasn't as beautiful as the other girls in Slytherin, but she was rather pretty, and Neville always enjoyed watching her in class. To see her perform magic was...well, entirely magical. With her hair curling around her face, and her bright brown eyes narrowed in concentration...Merlin, he could just imagine her looking at him with that look.

He never imagined, thought, that she would possibly be interested in him. But then, all of a sudden, last fall, it seemed like she _was_ watching him with that kind of concentration. He didn't notice his tail right away, but before long, he was absolutely positive that Hermione Black was following him around.

At first, it seemed like she'd just been watching him in the library, because he'd feel eyes on him, and whenever he looked up, her eyes would snap back to whatever book she was pretending to read. Next, he noticed her following him in the hallways. He wasn't convinced that he'd had a tail, but he'd asked Harry to borrow the map, and sure enough, it was her, following behind, likely disillusioned.

The only issue in Neville's eyes, was deciding what to do with this information. Why was she just following him around, and why wouldn't she have approached him if she was interested? Well, then, that seemed obvious to him. His friends hated her and she hated his friends. She usually saved most of her ire for Ron, and none of it seemed to be directed at him, though.

It was rather a star crossed lovers kind of situation, wasn't it? He was a Gryffindor and she a Slytherin. They _should_ hate each other.

He knew that although Hermione was willful and stubborn, she didn't have that brave streak that Gryffindors were known for. If there was ever going to be a chance for them to be together, it would have to be him to make the first move.

He decided to approach her in the library, hoping that she would feel more comfortable there. He knew that it was going to come as quite a shock to her that he knew about her affections. She was easy to find, and in the herbology section no less! Neville took it as a sign that this was something he was meant to do.

She was so engrossed in her book that she didn't notice him standing next to her until he cleared his throat. She was surprised, and slammed her book shut, turning to look at him. His new height had never been more obvious than it was right now. "I know you've been following me, Hermione." He said. Was it possible that he'd never said her first name out loud before? It was just so, _her_.

Hermione, in turn, narrowed her eyes at him in turn, giving him that haughty look she was known to wear in class when she knew she was right. "I have no idea what you are talking about, Longbottom."

Neville leaned into her, wanting to touch the bit of curly hair that has escaped the messy plait that she'd put it in. "It's okay, Hermione, I know. I know how you feel about me." Then, he took a deep breath, and closed, his eyes, leaned down and puckered his lips...

Hermione was shocked to see that Neville Longbottom seemed to want...no he was actively trying to kiss her. She quickly turned her head, and luckily his lips only ended up catching her hair by her ear.

He stumbled back, surprised to get hair instead of Hermione's sweet lips. He opened his eyes, and was shocked to see that her face was horrified. He felt an instant flush on his face. He couldn't believe that he'd misread the situation so completely? Neville turned tail and ran the other way, not waiting to have her reject him summarily.

Hermione stood there in the stacks in shock for a few short moments, watching as _Neville Longbottom_ ran away from her after just trying to kiss her. She'd been using her new position on the Inquisitorial Squad to snoop around a bit more, and she'd been sure she'd been so stealthy. Now, she was just horrified. For one, she couldn't believe that she'd been caught by Longbottom of all people, but that he'd so completely misinterpreted her actions! She was mortified!

Briefly, she thought about telling Daphne what had happened, but in the end she decided to just keep it to herself.

* * *

Hermione had stopped following Harry Potter's little group after she'd been caught by Neville Longbottom. Their interaction in the library still made her heart surge in embarrassment. It wasn't that Longbottom wasn't good looking, because she supposed, in a way, he was becoming quite handsome, but she had no attraction to him whatsoever. It mostly came from the deplorable way he and his friends treated other Slytherins.

Mostly, she still couldn't believe that she'd even been caught by him, seeing as he was the most clueless, clumsy person she knew, even beating out Luna Lovegood.

Hermione was still using the Inquisitorial Squad to her advantage. It had been a petty sort of revenge to take all kinds of house points away from Ronald Weasley whenever she saw him. He was just always so _sloppy_ and out of uniform, shirt always untucked and tie loosely slung around his neck. Hermione supposed, she wasn't perfect herself, her hair was always a bit messy, and she frequently had ink stains on her fingers, but at least she kept to the dress code. Weasley did now.

She still tried to gather information about Potter's group, seeing as even Professor Umbridge knew that they were up to something. The witch had informed them that they were to figure out where Potter and his group were meeting, and sent the Inquisitorial Squad around the castle at all times of the day. Honestly, it was a wonder anyone had time for their homework. Sometimes, she wished she could quit.

It seemed that Umbridge was particularly vindictive, as Hermione had heard whispers about how awful her detentions were. None of the Slytherins had gotten one yet, so there was nothing concrete. It made Hermione wonder why the Ministry was working so hard to prevent the spread of knowledge that Voldemort was back?

She'd briefly entertained the idea that they were involved with the Death Eaters, but it seemed so far fetched, that she filed it away for a later date.

Still, all of the searching that the Inquisitorial Squad came up fruitless, and Hermione never expected that the secret would come to her in the form of a snitch. She'd been happily editing a potions essay in the library. It had been nearing curfew so the library was practically empty.

Hermione was startled from her work when Marietta Edgecomb slid in the seat across from her and placed a notice-me-not charm on their table. Hermione's eyes immediately narrowed at the girl, annoyed at having been disturbed without preamble. "What?" She snapped.

"You've been looking for where Potter is holding his meetings?" The girl asked, her eyes glancing around nervously, reminding Hermione of a mouse. She looked over the girl. Marietta was a Ravenclaw, and so Hermione didn't know so much about her. Slytherins rarely socialized outside of their house. She did have gorgeous strawberry blonde hair, but it was a frizzy mess.

"Yes." Hermione said calmly, wanting to see where this was going. Why had Marietta sought her out?

"Well, I can tell you where they are meeting." Marietta said, sitting on the edge of her seat. It seemed to Hermione that the girl was nearly bursting to get this secret off her chest, her beady little eyes darting around the library.

"Why would you tell me?" Hermione was very wary. Professor Umbridge was stingy with praise, but very quick to dole out punishment. She didn't want to think of what the consequences would be if she got it wrong.

Marietta had tears in her eyes, but Hermione found herself unmoved. "My mum works at the Ministry, and there have been...well, I don't want my mum to lose her job."

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Didn't this _stupid_ girl realize that there were bigger things going on out there? If Voldemort was in charge, Marietta's mum probably wouldn't have a job either. Not to mention that Professor Umbridge had no idea who was involved with Potter, let alone what they were doing. It was highly unlikely that her mum's job was even in jeopardy. "What is it?"

"It's a group...he's just teaching us defensive spells. The patronus charm. Stuff we aren't covering in class." Marietta said quietly, as if admitting that they were studying was some kind of sin. Honestly, Hermione thought it was smart, as their Defense classes had been incredibly lacking in any kind of practical coursework. The Slytherins had all been practicing in their spare time. Theo and she often paired up to have someone to test against.

"So, where are you meeting then?" Hermione asked, arms crossed over her chest. She couldn't believe that there was all this commotion over something so trivial!

"There is this room on the Seventh Floor, called the Room of Requirement." Hermione _was_ intrigued to learn about this room, and filed it away for later research, once all of the things with Umbridge blew over. She wished she didn't have to tell the woman about it, but knew that she did. If it got back that she hadn't revealed their location, all the Slytherins would be very suspicious of her.

Marietta seemed so happy after telling her, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It made Hermione annoyed. Training her wand at the girl as she walked away, Hermione mumbled a jinx that would appear on her face the next morning.

As much as Hermione would enjoy the infighting that was sure to result in Potter's group being discovered - just how red would Weasley's face get? - she had a righteous sense that betraying your friends was wrong. They would all know _exactly_ who had ratted them out when she had permanent boils on her face. Slytherins didn't snitch on each other, and retaliation was always necessary.

The thought of her own situation left a bitter taste in her mouth.

* * *

Really, it shouldn't have surprised Hermione the Professor Umbridge being elevated to Headmistress was the logical course of action after she busted up Potter's little group. That was what the Ministry had been after all along, wasn't it? Control of Hogwarts?

It didn't help that the idiots had named their group "Dumbledore's Army" and pinned their sign up sheet in the Room of Requirement. Hermione had scowled at that. What better excuse to get rid of the Headmaster?

When had things all gone so horribly? If Umbridge was a bad Professor, she was a terrible Headmistress, and Hermione was certain that she was using corporal punishment. Just the other day she'd seen a second year Gryffindor crying and cradling his hand when he left the Headmistress's office.

No one in Slytherin house seemed the least bit disturbed that this had happened, making Hermione wonder if they were naive to what was happening right under their noses or if they were just really bad people.

She thought about Daphne and Theo and hoped it was the former.

The other thing that the situation had done was remind Hermione of the precarious nature of her position. Professor Dumbledore was the only one who knew what she and her papa were doing. What if something happened to them, and they were left with no way to prove what side they were actually one?

She pushed the thought away for now, and decided to focus on other things. The Ministry must know something about the weapon the Voldemort was after, because Potter clearly didn't. She would have to start digging a little deeper.

* * *

Distraction came from a wholly unlikely, but not unwelcome place. Hogsmeade visits had been resumed - of course "Dumbledore's Army" was forbidden - and the day it was announced, Theo had asked Hermione if she wanted to go with him, while they were studying in the library.

She couldn't hide the big smile that had formed on her face, and she readily agreed. That night, she told Daphne she was going to Hogsmeade and wanted help choosing an outfit. Daphne was going with Adrian Pucey, so the blonde agreed that they should get ready together.

She ended up wearing a gray cashmere dress, with tights to fight the cold weather, her hair neatly curled, held half up half down in the back. Honestly, her hair was never this well behaved, and Hermione knew it was a sign that everything was meant to go well.

Hermione thought that her heart just might burst from her chest when she met Theo outside the Great Hall to make their way to the village. He looked quite nice himself, and she was sure to tell him. His cheeks turned a bit pink. "Thanks, you look lovely today, Hermione." He said, perhaps with a touch of confusion in his voice? Had he thought she wouldn't make an effort?

They'd headed to the bookshop first, and Hermione came away with a few books. They spent a bit of time wandering through the village, just chatting about school, and plans for the summer. There was even a moment, when Hermione's hand had brushed against his, and she thought he might try to hold her hand, but it never happened, much to her disappointment.

When it was time to eat, things began to go downhill. She'd turned to face him, her face flushed with excitement and the cold. "Where would you like to get lunch?" She asked pleasantly.

"The Hog's Head?" Theo offered, as though he hadn't really given it much thought.

Hermione felt her shoulders drop. The Hog's Head wasn't very nice or romantic at all. She knew she wasn't your classic girly girl, but she still wanted to enjoy her first date. At someplace not so dirty. "Well, sure, I wasn't expecting Madame Puddifoot's or anything." She told him, her nose scrunched in distaste.

Theo's laugh was loud and made Hermione smile. She loved his laugh, she realized with a start. "Madame Puddifoot's? It's not like we're on a date." Theo said, casually, not noticing the sudden jerk of Hermione's head to look at his face. "Thanks again for coming to Hogsmeade with me Hermione. With everyone else paired off, I guess we're the last two left."

Hermione could practically feel her heart beating in her ears. Could Theo hear it? It felt like her whole world was crashing around her. She'd been so positive...and now she'd rather gone and embarrassed herself hadn't she? She'd thought, she'd been so sure that Theo might just like her back, the same way that she liked him. Theo would know now, that she thought it was a date, and he'd probably laugh at her.

Or worse, not want to be her friend anymore. She should have know he wouldn't want a bookworm like her!

Hermione needed to get out of there, away from Theo as quickly as possible. "I'm sorry, I just remembered, there is something I have to take care of at the castle." She told him, before turning and running away from him as quickly as possible.

In her head, she could practically hear Aunt Narcissa screaming at her that pureblood girls don't cry, but the alternative was worse. Theo was calling her name in the background, but she didn't stop until she made it to the carriages. She didn't want Theo to see the tears on her cheeks.

Because Blacks don't cry in public.

* * *

Theo Nott had had the absolute worse day. The worst part was, he didn't really know what had gone wrong.

He'd been excited to go to Hogsmeade with Hermione because she was a good friend and their conversations were never boring. She was very smart and so no topic was off limits, like it was with some of his other friends. He'd been surprised to see how pretty she looked when she met him outside the Great Hall. Not that she wasn't usually pretty - he did find her face quite captivating, though he knew she wasn't classically beautiful - it was just that he wasn't used to seeing her like that. Maybe not since the Yule Ball.

They'd had a pleasant enough morning, spending time at the bookshop, which was always a required stop in his opinion. He liked that Hermione didn't seem to mind that he picked up Quidditch magazines _and_ potions quarterlies, which was nice. Vince and Greg, and even Draco always slagged him off for being too swotty.

When they'd walked around outside, he'd even bumped hands with her. He'd been shocked at the feeling, because even with the briefest of touches, he could feel the warmth of her hand. He was suddenly overcome with the longing to grab her hand and hold it in his tightly. It took everything in his power not to move his hand, so as not to reveal how affected he was by her touch. She didn't seem to notice.

Then, when they were trying to decide where to eat, Theo had somehow bollocksed it all up, causing Hermione to run away from him! Oh, he was certain that he'd destroyed their friendship, but he didn't exactly know how he'd done that.

Theo spent the rest of the Hogsmeade visit walking around by himself, the day seeming to feel a bit colder without Hermione's presence brightening the experience. He'd hurried back to the Common Room after that, hoping to catch Hermione before dinner. He waited and waited but she never came down.

He was feeling so horrid, that he resolved to ask Draco after dinner. His blond friend was constantly upsetting his cousin, so maybe he had some insight. He desperately wanted to set things right, because he rather liked Hermione, and didn't want things to change.

He found Draco sitting with Daphne on the big leather couches in front of the fireplaces. Everyone else seemed to be a bit tired after the day in Hogsmeade, so the common room was almost entirely empty. "Draco, you have to help me. Hermione is upset with me, but I can't for the life of me figure out what I've done wrong?" He said, before wincing at how that had made him sound rather sappy.

"Hell if I know." Draco said, a dark look on his face. "But I'd rather you try to fix it! She's been crying all afternoon in her dorm, wouldn't tell me why. Can't say I thought my own friend would have done something to hurt my cousin." Draco puffed his chest out a little bit. Although he and Hermione got on each other's nerves now and again, Draco was rather protective of her.

"I didn't even know I'd done anything wrong!" Theo defended himself, not wanting to fight with Draco too.

"Well, I don't know. I would just apologize, that usually works for me." Draco said with a shrug. "Speaking of Hermione, I have to go see her again. I promised her I would bring her some toffees from dessert."

Theo sighed, watching as Draco walked away. He _would_ apologize to Hermione, but he just wished he knew what it was for. He balanced his elbows on his knees, and leaned forward to rest his head in his hands.

Daphne gently patted him on the back, making him jump in surprise. He nearly forgot that she was there. "Theo, can you really not think of _any_ reason why you would have upset Hermione? What were you doing when she left?" By the knowing tone in her voice, Theo was sure that Daphne knew exactly what he'd done wrong.

"We were picking a place for lunch. I suggested the Hog's Head." He grimaced, seeing Daphne's wince when the mentioned the restaurant. "She made a joke about Madame Puddifoots, and then I thanked her for spending the day with me, because, you know...we were the only two not paired up." He said with a shrug.

Daphne groaned. "Theo! Are you really that blind?" She asked, so annoyed that this boy had weaseled his way into Slytherin with observational skills like that. When she saw absolutely no recognition on his point, she elaborated. "Theo, Hermione thought...Hermione thought that you _were_ taking her on a date. And then suddenly it wasn't a date _and_ you insinuated that the only reason you were spending time with her was because there was no one else."

Theo was shocked. Hermione thought he'd asked her on a date? And by that extension, Hermione wanted to go on a date with him? "But, Hermione is just my friend." He said weakly to Daphne. He knew that Hermione was a great friend, and recently, he'd been noticing her more...physical attributes...but there was nothing going on between them.

"Theo." Daphne said, with an encouraging smile. "Your friendship with Hermione has been special since the beginning. I'm not surprised if the two of you are growing to have feelings towards one another." Her voice was soft and soothing, and what she said just made sense.

"But...Hermione...she couldn't possibly have feelings for me?" He asked, again, thinking back to all the times that they spent together in the library. He supposed he had noticed that she touched him more now...and there had been the time over the summer that she'd slept on him. He would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about that once or twice. It had felt so _nice_ to have her pressed up against him.

"Please don't fish for compliments Theodore. It's not very becoming." Daphne said sharply. "Look, I'm not blind, and I know that Hermione is quite pretty when she puts her mind to it. As much as Draco would like to stick his head under a rock and pretend like Hermione isn't a girl that people might like to court, people do have eyes. Before long, someone is going to put an effort into winning her." Daphne warned.

Theo hated the way that sounded, like Hermione was just a prize, but he knew that was entirely the pureblood way of thinking. Everything was done in marriage contracts, for the good of the families and not for the betrothed. He suddenly felt quite helpless, now that his friendship with Hermione had been turned on it's head. "What should I do?" He asked, Daphne helplessly.

Daphne shrugged, eager to return to her own dorm. Dealing with boys was just more trouble than it was worth. "Draco's not wrong. An apology will go a long way."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Thanks again to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter - over 600 follows now! And huge thank you to everyone who reviewed! Sorry, I wasn't able to reply to reviews, as they are still not showing up here. I am still receiving them via email though, so thank you so much for them! You can follow me on tumblr, nauticalparamour, where this week, I know I will be responding to at least one anon reviewer.

Here is chapter seventeen - the end of year five! Please let me know what you think and be on the lookout for chapter eighteen soon! I promise things will start to look up really really soon for Hermione :)

* * *

"Just what do you think you are doing Miss Black?" Headmistress Umbridge's voice pierced the lulling of the hideous meowing kitten plates that adorned her wall.

Hermione froze, annoyed that she'd once again been overly confident in her abilities. Honestly, she'd done a lot of snooping around trying to find any information on this weapon that Voldemort was after, but she'd been unable to come up with anything so far. It had seemed that Umbridge's office was the best choice. She'd waited until Umbridge was off to have tea with Filch - Hermione could only imagine what the pair of them talked about - before breaking the wards to get into the woman's office.

She'd thought she'd been so careful though, and now, here she was, caught red handed, rifling through Umbridge's desk. To Hermione's immense disappointment, she couldn't even find anything that was promising. Obviously, Umbridge was not in the know when it came to Voldemort. She needed to come up with a good reason to be here. "I thought that I had misquoted a source in my essay, Professor, and I hoped that I could find it and change it before you graded it." Hermione said, a bright blush on her cheeks.

"Well, I must say Miss Black, I am incredibly disappointed...that a girl of your birth and standing would resort to breaking and entering into a Ministry official's office for something as trivial as a grade." Umbridge said, a false smile on her face. "After all, after your schooling, your marks will be meaningless, as a society wife, won't they?" The witch giggled, a sound that didn't match the woman's appearance.

Hermione bit her lower lip, feeling a blush form on her cheeks. Yes, she knew that was the future that society had envisioned for her, but it wasn't what she _wanted_. Still, she knew that she wasn't likely to have a husband who supported her working. Thinking about the future, though, made Hermione's stomach churn. It was so uncertain at the moment, that it was really pointless to think on too much. "My marks are very important to me. I hope to be able to adequately tutor my children before they attend Hogwarts." She said, trying to sound haughty, and achieving it quite easily.

"How very vain." Umbridge said, a pinched look on her face, as though she was trying to assess the truth of Hermione's statement. "In any case, Miss Black, your conduct is unacceptable and as such, you will serve detention with me, tomorrow evening." She said with a bright smile on her face, as though she were very pleased to give Hermione detention.

Hermione swallowed thickly, before nodding. "Yes, I agree. I will report here after dinner." She gave in, perhaps a bit too quickly, just wanting to get out of Umbridge's office before she could ask Hermione any other questions. "Am I dismissed?"

The older woman nodded, and Hermione hurried down the spiral staircase so that she could get to the dungeons. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she was actually dreading detention. When she entered the Slytherin common room, she'd finally caught her breath and slowed her heart rate.

She flopped down on the leather couch in front of the fireplace, only noticing the person beside her before it was too late. "Everything alright?" Theo asked, closing the book that he'd been reading, and turning to look at her.

Hermione nibbled on her lower lip. Ever since their failed not date, she'd been avoiding Theo, and she knew that it annoyed him, but he always looked so awkward every time that she saw him. Like he wanted to talk to her about something. Hermione wanted to do anything but talk about how she'd embarrassed herself in front of him. She couldn't imagine how painful his 'I'm just not interested in you in that way' talk would be. "Sort of. I got detention with Umbridge."

"For what?" Theo said, surprised. Hermione had only had one detention before, and that was for being caught out after curfew with him in second year.

"I...it's not important." Hermione said, not wanting to give the same lie to Theo that she had to Umbridge. Theo would be able to spot the lie immediately, and she didn't fancy arguing with him or telling him what she was really looking for.

Theo nodded, accepting her dismissal of the topic, but he was still wary of it. "Listen, Hermione, I've been meaning to talk to you." He said, before seeing the absolutely panicked look on her face. "No, please don't leave. It's just that I wanted to apologize. I realize that I implied that the...only reason I wanted to spend time with you was because you were the only one who was available." Theo looked down at his book, not able to look her in the eye. "And it's not true. I love spending time with you, Hermione. So I am sorry, if I made you feel horribly." He told her, honestly, before looking up at her face. She had a small smile on her face. "You are a really great friend."

Hermione's smile faltered for an imperceptible second and she prayed he wouldn't notice it. "Apology accepted, Theo." Hermione told him, glad to be on speaking terms with her best friend again. It had been exhausting avoiding him, because he was always in her favorite haunts...their favorite haunts.

Still, she couldn't stop the stab of pain at his last words. She was a great _friend_ , but nothing more. Hermione briefly wondered if he even realized that she might like to go on a proper date like a proper girl? Or maybe he was just ignoring the obvious so he wouldn't have to come out and say it, hoping she'd take the hint.

Sighing, she stood from the couch. "I had better go write to my papa, let him know that I'm in trouble." Hermione told Theo, who gave her a sympathetic look, before wishing her good night and opening the book he'd been reading.

When she arrived in her dormitory, Hermione flopped on the bed and cast her usual silencing spells, and called her papa on the mirror. It didn't take him long to answer, and he could immediately sense that something had happened. "What's wrong?"

"I got a detention." Hermione said, annoyance clear in her voice. "I was in Headmistress Umbridge's office, looking to see if the Ministry had any information on the weapon Voldemort might be looking for, but they are just as clueless as Potter!" Hermione groused.

Sirius looked bemused. "You know, Hermione, I happen to think that a certain number of detentions are healthy, even for a witch of pureblood standing."

Hermione rolled her eyes, of course her papa would think it all fine and dandy to get a detention. "You won't be the one who has to sit through Narcissa's lectures!" Hermione hissed at him. She wished that sometimes he didn't look back on his Hogwarts's rule breaking so fondly, because it couldn't possibly be the same for her.

"I won't tell her, I promise." Sirius said, sensing that his daughter was quite tense over this.

"It doesn't matter, Draco will." Hermione scowled. "I feel so helpless papa, like I am not able to help with anything. It feels like everyone is working against me." She said, tiny little tears forming in her eyes. She blinked them back, not wanting her papa to worry over her.

"Hermione, you have to stop being so hard on yourself." Sirius said, a bit concerned. "You just do your best, you are helping more than you know. And don't worry, no matter what happens, nothing will change the fact that I think you are a really smart, considerate, young lady and I am proud that you are my daughter." Sirius said with a genuine smile.

Hermione sagged, as though a weight had been lifted from her. She needed to hear that. Somehow her papa always knew what to say to her to make her feel better. "Thanks papa."

"Now, get some rest, sweetheart."

* * *

Hermione rose her hand and knocked on the door to Umbridge's personal office. "Come in Miss Black." She heard in the woman's sugar sweet voice. Hermione hated it, but stepped inside, and sat at the offered table.

Hermione noticed that a quill was already set out for her, along with some paper. "Tonight, you will be writing lines for me. I want you to write 'I must not stick my nose where it doesn't belong.'" The woman placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Don't worry about the ink."

Hermione wanted to cringe away from the woman, but kept herself still, and picked up the quill. She didn't really care for the line she was going to be writing, but this hardly seemed like a terrible detention that she'd assumed. Maybe Umbridge was going easy on her because she was a pureblood?

As Hermione began to write, she noticed a slight twinge in her hand, but she was mostly just relieved that Umbridge had returned to her chair with a self satisfied little smile. The more lines Hermione wrote though, the more the twinge in her hand became a burning. She looked down and gasped in horror that the words she was writing were being carved into her flesh. A blood quill?

"Yes, I think that's sinking in nicely." Umbridge said from her desk, a smug smile on her face. Hermione was outraged. Was this what the woman had been doing all along? It was barbaric! She wanted to hex the woman and the Ministry! Hermione thought about all the little first years she'd seen crying after their detentions...had this been going on all year? It wasn't right!

Before she could make herself known though, Hermione could make her anger known, there was some kind of commotion in the Headmistress's public office. Umbridge looked annoyed, before quickly standing from her desk. "Stay here Miss Black. I will return momentarily."

Hermione didn't even wait one minute after Umbridge shut the door behind her to stand from her own table and rush to the door. She pressed her ear against it tightly, trying to hear what was going on.

As it turned out, it was the stupid Gryffindors - Potter, Weasley, Longbottom, the Weaselette and Luna Lovegood - that had broken into the Headmistress's office, trying to floo to the Ministry of Magic. Unfortunately for them, they'd been caught.

Umbridge first called Snape, and wanted veritaserum, but he was out. Potter tried to tell Snape something, something about the Ministry, but it sounded like it was in code, so she didn't know what was going on. Oh, she wished they would leave so that she could contact her papa.

Things were not going well for the Gryffindors. Umbridge wanted answers and it seemed that she was willing to use torture to get them. She was about to crucio Potter, before Lovegood jumped in and told Umbridge about a "secret weapon" in the Forbidden Forest. That did the trick, and before long, Umbridge was following the students out of the castle.

When she was sure that they were gone, Hermione opened the door, and rushed over to the floo, before throwing in some powder. "Grimmauld Place!" She called, before sticking her head through, calling for her papa.

"Hermione? What's wrong?" He asked, wanting to know just why his daughter was Floo calling him. Just how had she even gotten access to a Floo?

"No time to explain, papa. Potter and his friends are trying to get to the Ministry of Magic, and it has something to do with Voldemort. I don't know what they were talking about, but it sounded like Voldemort was holding someone there. Moony?" Hermione's words poured from her in a rush.

"Moony?" Sirius asked, suddenly very concerned and alert. "Are you sure that they said Moony, Hermione?" His voice was deadly serious.

"Yes, it was Moony. But you have to hurry, papa. Tell Dumbledore! They might already be on their way." Hermione urged, confident that she actually able to help this time. Potter needed help and she was going to get him some.

* * *

Hermione didn't even need her papa to tell her what had happened the night before, because it was all over the Daily Prophet the next day. Voldemort _was_ back, he'd been seen by hundreds of Ministry workers, and it was something that they couldn't brush under the rug any more. Voldemort's picture on the cover of the wizarding magazine was horrifying, so much more so than Hermione ever could have expected. He looked barely human.

The story of Potter and his friends little field trip had spread through the school like wildfire. They had dueled Death Eaters, and it had left Ronald Weasley in the hospital wing with a broken ankle, and Luna Lovegood with a horrible curse wound and a potions regime months long, courtesy of Antonin Dolohov.

That had made Hermione sick to her stomach, as she remembered her papa laughing with the tall Russian at Christmas.

Dumbledore's duel had been incredibly impressive, according to the Gryffindors, and it had seemed that he was well matched with Voldemort. That had been a little comforting to Hermione, as for a moment, she thought that she had her faith in the right person. Also, she knew that it was because of her that Dumbledore had shown up, and so she could rest easy.

Another thing didn't escape the students of Hogwarts's notice. Death Eaters had been arrested when the Ministry workers had arrived for their work days. And not just any Death Eaters, parents of students. Theo and Draco's fathers, as well as Crabbe and Goyles were among those now housed in Azkaban.

Hermione had tried to talk about it with Draco, knowing how worried he must be, but he just brushed her off. She was glad that it would be summer vacation soon, so all of the whispering would stop. Maybe then Draco wouldn't treat her so horribly, when she was just trying to make him feel better.

* * *

Hermione and her papa weren't invited to Malfoy Manor for tea by Narcissa, but neither of them were too put out by it. They both empathized with her, not having any idea of what it might be like to have their husband in jail, and all of their personal business splashed about in the papers. Instead, they returned to Grimmauld Place, where Kreacher was eager to feed them.

Her papa sighed when he sat at the table, asking Kreacher to leave them alone. So much had happened in the past few days. Of course he knew that Voldemort was back at the end of last school year, but his open attack at the Ministry had brought things to a whole new level. Really, he was sure that the Order didn't realize just how lucky they were that Hermione had told him and he'd been able to get a hold of Dumbledore. If the rest of the Order hadn't survived there would have been five dead school children on their hands.

But things were far from over where Voldemort was concerned. Now was the time for Hermione to ingratiate herself even further, now that she knew just whose parents were involved with the Death Eaters. Sirius had thought it over, but he thought now would be the best time for her to strike, and really, it shouldn't be too hard for her.

"So, Hermione, I understand that you are close with the Nott boy." He jumped right into the conversation, unsure of how best to ease into what he was asking of her.

Hermione's eyebrows scrunched together in concentration, before she nodded slowly. "Yes, Theo is probably my best friend at Hogwarts." Merlin, Hermione thought to herself, she hoped that Draco hadn't mentioned their non-date to her papa. She'd hoped that Draco hadn't even put two and two together on why she'd been so upset about the non-date, but she thought he probably had, but was just ignoring it.

Sirius nodded, before deciding to continue. "Well, you know his father...was one of the Death Eaters that was captured." He looked at her, searching his face. "I think that it's time for you to use your friendship to get information about the Dark Lord. Nott was one of the original Inner Circle, so I am sure he's discussed it with his son."

Hermione's mouth gaped open, comprehending her papa's words, but not wanting to believe them. Spy on Theo? But he was her _best friend_. Not to mention that now that she thought on it, he'd never even said anything that sounded like support for the Dark Lord. "Papa, Theo isn't like that. He won't know anything worthwhile. It's probably better to wheedle information from Aunt Narcissa."

Sirius scoffed at her insistence. "Please Hermione, I am sure that he will be a good target. How could he not? Even if he was just in his father's study once, he might have seen something that could be of use. Besides, he might not be explicit about it, but how could he not support blood purity? He's a Slytherin." Her papa said a bit dismissively.

"Have you forgotten that _I_ am a Slytherin?" Hermione seethed, standing from the table. She needed to pace around, and work off some of the angry energy that was rioting in her body. "Papa, they aren't that different from us. Don't you ever think that things aren't so black and white? That not all Slytherins are bad? That maybe what we are doing is wrong?" She'd been living amongst the Slytherins for years, and she really liked them. She'd been grappling with her betrayal of their trust all year.

"Well, yeah, but you aren't like that...but, of course the rest of them are bad! They can't help it sure, it's been ingrained in them since they were children, but that doesn't mean that they don't think that muggles are the scum of the earth." Sirius remembered his brother Regulus, who had been a rather soft child before Hogwarts, and had turned into one of the worse blood purists.

"Don't you ever think that what we are doing is wrong?" Hermione demanded, hurt that her father couldn't see the error in his thinking. It was that exact kind of thinking that got them into this war in the first place! Besides, she knew that most of her friends _didn't_ care for muggles or muggleborns, but its not like they ever explicitly talked about it either.

"No, I don't, Hermione, because it's for the greater good. We are helping to save lives in the long run." Her papa snapped at her.

"You are asking me to betray my friends, papa! Even if Slytherins are as evil as you claim, they don't snitch on each other, something that you Gryffindors can't say." Hermione seethed. When had it become an us versus them in her mind? "Did you know that one of Harry Potter's little group, Marietta Edgecomb sold out their little defense group _to me_? She came to _me_ to turn them in, because she was worried about her mother's _job_ at the Ministry?" Hermione sneered, remembering the girl giving up her friends for something so trivial.

Sirius quieted listening to her words. "No, I didn't know that." He agreed. Hermione had told him all about Dumbledore's Army, of course, but she didn't mention how she came by that information.

"And Peter Pettigrew also betrayed your best friend to the Dark Lord. I am sensing a trend." Sirius bristled hearing her use the term Dark Lord, but he noticed that he shoulders sagged in defeat. "Please don't ask me to do the same to my best friend." She pleaded, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Sirius felt his heart ache, seeing his daughter cry about this. He hadn't even realized that she was in such turmoil, though, he supposed it should have been obvious. She befriended these people over years, of course she would have some attachments to them. He walked over, and wrapped her in his arms around her, pulling her to rest her head on his chest. She looked so small right now. "Oh, sweetheart." She looked up at him, and he wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I didn't think of it that way." He admitted.

Hermione nodded, a few more tears falling on her cheeks.

He smiled down at her before tugging gently on one of her curls. "Don't worry, Hermione, I know that it might feel like a betrayal, but I promise that what you give us will really help us. And it certainly won't result in Theo's death." Sirius said, guilt over James's death bubbling up inside him again.

"I know it will help." Hermione said quietly. She knew that it was something she had to do. "It just makes me feel dirty."

"Don't think of it as spying _on_ Theo...just making note of anything he shares with you about his father. And, if you care about Theo, this might be a chance to subtly help steer him on the right path." Sirius promised. It wasn't really to the script of what a pureblood girl was supposed to do, but he just wanted Hermione to be happy.

"You think he would listen to me?" Hermione asked timidly.

Sirius smiled. "Of course, you can be incredibly persuasive when you set your mind to something." He hugged her again, before pulling away once more. "Listen Hermione, I need to know that you are on our side, on my side, unequivocally. Things are going to get much worse before they get better, and we can't let fighting separate us. Can I count on you?" He asked, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

Hermione bit her lower lip, before nodding. "Yes papa, you can count on me."


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who favorited, followed or reviewed after the last chapter! You are all such wonderful readers and it means a lot to me. I am on tumblr, you can find me at the handle nauticalparamour.

Alright, so half of you hate Sirius and half of you liked the interaction with Hermione at the end. I am going to hope that most of you think that he is in character. He is beginning to understand what he's asking of her and is definitely growing concerned about her physical safety. Hopefully your opinions on him continue to grow in a positive direction. I think, in general, sixth year is more positive for Hermione.

So, anyhow, on to the story. Chapter eighteen begins sixth year, and I would love to know what you think! Be on the lookout for chapter nineteen soon!

* * *

After agreeing to spy on her best friend's father, the summer seemed to edge on in horrifying slowness. Each day it seemed to sink in deeper the kind of betrayal she was planning, and it festered like a tightness in her stomach. She just hoped that someday, when all of this was over, that Theo would be willing to see her side.

She spent most of her days reading in the library with Crookshanks curled up on her lap, but it did little to distract her. She felt helpless here, cloistered away in Grimmauld Place. There was a stagnation that had settled around her that she desperately needed to be stirred. Something needed to happen.

That something came in the form of Draco's head sticking through the Floo one day, surprising both Hermione and Sirius. "Uncle Sirius, can Hermione come over for a while?" He asked. Hermione looked at her cousin. He seemed exasperated, like he was at the end of his rope.

Sirius looked him over for a few moments, remembering how she'd been exposed to Death Eaters the last time she'd been at Malfoy Manor. Considering that Lucius was recently locked up in Azkaban, he figured it was probably safe for her to spend the rest of the day. Hermione practically jumped at the chance to get out of the house, and entered Malfoy Manor via Floo.

"Thank Merlin you came." Draco said, before leading her down the hallway. "Theo's staying with us for the summer, but he won't leave the library. He's been in there for over a day." Draco ran his hand over the back of his neck, revealing that he was seriously concerned about his friend. He grinned at her sheepishly. "I thought you might be able to talk some sense into him. After all, you're the one who got him to take Ancient Runes." Draco teased.

Hermione felt her heart pound at facing Theo without any preparation. She hadn't known that he was staying with Draco for the summer and she probably would have tried to get out of it if she'd known. She was still swimming in emotion when it came to the tall boy - no, young man - and now she felt like she was keeping this awful secret from him as well. Would he be able to tell?

She tried not to run off to the library, not wanting to show her hand to Draco. When she entered the cavernous room, Draco wished her good luck before shutting the door behind her. It was easy to find her friend, sitting in the window seat, a copy of _Hogwarts, A History_ in his lap. He seemed to enjoy that book as much as she did, but he tend to only read it during times of stress.

He looked even more gorgeous in the light streaming in the window. His hair was nearly brown now, and Hermione was surprised to see a healthy amount of stubble on his cheeks. To her surprise, it didn't bother her, but she actually found it quite attractive.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione composed herself, before placing her arms on her hips and marching over to him. "Theodore." She scolded, knowing he hated it when people used his full name, but she was unable to keep her stern look when his head shot up at her voice. "When was the last time that you slept in a proper bed?" She asked, before blushing at the tone of her voice.

"Hermione, what are you doing here?" Theo asked her, making room for her in the window seat. Hermione hopped up next to him, smoothing her skirt around her knees.

"Draco told me that you hadn't left the library in over a day." Hermione said. "And I was worried about you." There was a brief silence, before Hermione spoke again. "Are you staying at the Manor this summer?"

"Yeah, it's just for the summer though. I will become of age in October, and then the Ministry can't stop me from staying in my own house." Theo said, sighing, not able to make eye contact with Hermione because he was ashamed.

Hermione could tell that Theo was quite frustrated with his father, and with all this emotional turmoil he was surely in, he was uniquely vulnerable. Biting her lip, Hermione considered her next move. She couldn't just jump into asking about his father's activities, it would be highly suspicious. No, she needed to further their trust in one another first.

"Theo?" She asked quietly, resting her head on the window pane and letting her eyes search his face. "Tell me about your mother."

By the sudden gathering of his thick eyebrows, Hermione knew he was surprised, but not upset about the question. "She died when I was seven. I almost don't remember what she looks like anymore."

"I bet she was very pretty." Hermione said with a smile.

"Yes, she had long brown hair and green eyes, like mine, and she was very young." Theo said, a scowl on his face, suddenly. "She was my father's prize for being a loyal Death Eater." He spat, like it was the worst thing. "She was over twenty years younger than him. They didn't get along." He grimaced, clearly uncomfortable with the circumstances of his parents marriage.

Hermione's breath was tight in her chest. She didn't know that about Theo's mother. She'd always known that his father was quite a bit older, but she hadn't really thought about the particulars. She got the impression that he was not a nice man.

Hermione reached down to where his hand was resting in his lap, and grabbed it with her own, giving it a squeeze. "I'm very sorry." Theo kept his eyes on where their hands were joined, but gave a tight nod. "My mother died before my second birthday." She told him. "She and my grandparents had gone into hiding, but they were killed."

"Who was she?" Theo asked, his eyes meeting her's. It was nice to have this insight into Hermione's childhood, because no one really knew anything about her mother.

"She was called Marlene McKinnon." Hermione told him, with a wince. "She didn't even tell my papa about me being born, and I think Dumbledore would have been pleased to never tell him about me, but then, I needed someone to look after me after they were killed." She let all of her resentment in the Order, in being forced to lead this life, bleed into her voice. "It still makes me mad." She admitted. "She had long blonde hair. My papa always says that I have her nose." It was true, her papa had admitted how off putting her looks were, all things considered.

"She must have been very beautiful." Theo murmured, inwardly grinning at the blush that painted her cheeks. "That must have been very hard on your father." Theo commented, squeezing her hand this time. "To suddenly have to take care of a child he didn't previously know about."

Hermione's eyes shot to his, trying to contain the cringe. "I'll understand if...you don't want to talk to me anymore, now that you know...well, I was born out of wedlock." She knew that it wasn't considered in any way acceptable in pureblood circles, but she wanted Theo to see that she trusted _him_ as well.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Theo asked her, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, in a very tender gesture. "You're perfect just the way you are."

Hermione stared at his face, unable to stop herself from biting her lower lip. He looked so focused and well, really rather sweet. The action brought his gaze to her lips, and she felt her heart beating so hard against her ribs. What if he heard it? He was leaning in closer to her, and Hermione stopped breathing. Was this happening? Was he really going to kiss her?

Just when Theo's eyes closed, the door to the library banged open. "Dinner's ready." Draco said, a cheeky grin on his face, perhaps knowing _exactly_ what he'd just interrupted. "Are you going to join us Hermione?" He asked her, she supposed, trying to seem innocent.

Hermione agreed, standing from the window sill, pulling on Theo's hand to take him with her. When she stood, she let their hands part, feeling incredibly upset at having to part from him.

* * *

The next time that Hermione saw Theo was on the train to Hogwarts. She was pleased to see him looking much better than he'd been over the summer. He was freshly shaved, and his hair was as neat as usual, but to be honest, Hermione had kind of liked seeing Theo looking so casual. It was like a secret side of him that only she knew about.

The compartment that had previously fit all of her Slytherin friends quite comfortably was suddenly cramped, especially with the addition of Pansy. She was pressed closely to Draco droning on and on about her summer vacation. The only consolation was that Draco looked quite annoyed as well.

Pulling the piece of parchment from her pocket, Hermione showed the paper to the group. "Did anyone else get one of these?" Hermione asked, showing them the invitation. It was a request to join a Professor Slughorn for a tea for a little group called the Slug Club.

"Whose Horace Slughorn?" Pansy asked, getting a good look at the invite. Clearly, she hadn't been selected to participate, to Hermione's amusement.

"My father says he was the potions professor when he was at Hogwarts." Hermione said primly, passing around the invite. "I hope nothing happened to Professor Snape." She commented conscientiously, though her relationship with Professor Snape remained strained.

"No, he's just accepted the post of Defense Professor." Draco said, seeming a bit tetchy. "No, I didn't get an invite to this little club."

Blaise pulled out his own copy. "Well, I did get one, too. I can't imagine that it's going to be anything good, but I suppose I won't know unless I try it." Even though Hermione and Blaise didn't get along, she was pleased that she'd have at least one familiar face, and someone to talk to.

"I didn't get invited either. I wonder why." Theo said, with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Hermione was surprised to hear it, because the way the invitation was written, it was for a group of exceptional students, and Theo's classwork thus far had certainly been exceptional, nearly at the same level as Hermione's.

"Well, I think that's pretty obvious, isn't it?" Blaise asked. "He probably didn't invite you because your fathers are in Azkaban. He probably doesn't want to be associated with Death Eaters." Hermione scowled at Blaise, who could be so tactless sometime, just announcing it like that. Plus, she thought it was kind of hypocritical coming from him, when his mother was essentially a salonniere for Death Eaters and other pureblood supporters.

Theo's cheeks went red, and he was clearly quite frustrated with the statement. He'd hoped that the summer would lessen the memory from his classmates' minds, but clearly that hadn't happened. Draco looked annoyed, but then a dark frown settled on his face. "Whatever, I am sure that it would be boring anyway. This whole school year seems pointless anyway."

Hermione stiffened at that proclamation. "What does that mean, Draco?"

His scowl disappeared seeing the concern on his cousin's face. "I just mean with everything going on in the real world, school seems kind of silly. Really, conjuring birds in Charms class? How ridiculous." Hermione bit her lip, reading his face. She supposed that she agreed with that statement, but she was nervous about this new nihilism in Draco. He'd seemed so happy at the beginning of the summer, but now...

Blaise stood from his spot on the bench. "Well, Hermione, shall we go to this little tea party and get it over with?" He asked, offering her his arm. Hermione stood and happily took his arm, before exiting the compartment with him.

Maybe this was a good thing, to expand her horizons and meet other students from other houses who were similarly like minded about their school work. Her optimism didn't last long once she entered Professor Slughorn's compartment. It wasn't so much the best and brightest, but rather the most well connected students.

Hermione sat next to Blaise, and waited her turn to speak with Professor Slughorn. He was a portly fellow, with a big red nose that suggested to Hermione he wasn't a stranger to overindulging in drinking. Still, she graciously lent him her hand when he approached her. "Ah, Miss Black, I must say I am most pleased that you came."

"Thank you, I was ever so pleased to receive your invitation." Hermione responded, knowing that she had been initially pleased, though now, she was distinctly disappointed.

"I had almost all of your family members, except for your father in my house at Slytherin. I am quite pleased to see that you ended up in Slytherin." He laughed. Hermione gave him a tight smile. "What is your father up to these days?" Slughorn asked, but Hermione got the impression that he already knew.

"Father spends a lot of time at our family home, but he also attends Wizengamot sessions to help advance the wizarding world." She told him, hoping that he would get the message that she was just as much associated with the Dark Side as Theo or Draco.

Slughorn certainly got the message, and bid her goodbye, before moving onto Blaise. Hermione wanted to get as much distance between herself and Slughorn, and so she moved to the tea tray and helped herself to a cup. When she was adding a bit of cream to her tea, she was jolted from her thoughts by a large hand caressing hers.

She jolted, and looked up, surprised to see an older Gryffindor smiling at her with perfect teeth. "Oh, I am so sorry about that." He told her, not really seeming sorry at all. "I'm Cormac. Cormac McLaggen. I think that your father sometimes works with mine at the Ministry."

Hermione bit her lower lip. If her papa did work with McLaggen's father, he'd certainly never mentioned him before. "Oh, my father doesn't really discuss politics with me." Hermione told him, wanting to get away from the situation.

"May I call you Hermione? I feel as though we will be seeing a lot of each other this year, and I wouldn't mind...getting to know you a bit better." He practically purred, stepping into her personal space.

Before Hermione could think of a creative way to get out of talking with McLaggen, Blaise came up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He was a bit taller than McLaggen and looked down at him quite sternly. "Hermione, we should get back to the compartment. The train will be arriving at Hogwarts soon."

He didn't wait for her to respond, but instead steered her from the room and down the hallway. "Thank you." She told him quietly, pleased that he had recognized that she was very uncomfortable with McLaggen's attention, and helping her to get out of it, even though they weren't friends. Maybe he didn't mind her as much as she thought.

" _Don't_ mention it." He said pointedly. Clearly, he didn't want word of his heroics to get back to the rest of Slytherin house.

* * *

When they got off the train, Hermione was surprised to see quite a hold up. It quickly spread through the line that everyone's trunks were being searched. She scowled, seeing as they were at the very back of the line, and it was already dark out.

By the time that she'd reached the front of the line, only Theo and Draco were still waiting to have their trunks searched. Hermione stood towards the back with Theo while her trunk was searched by Professor Vector, an older woman, who Hermione actually quite liked. "Honestly, as if a Slytherin would be so stupid to smuggle contraband into the castle in their trunks." Hermione hissed at Theo.

He nodded at her, but was curiously watching as Vector riffled through the large stack of books that Hermione had brought with her. The woman stopped on _Moste Potente Potions_. "This is a restricted book Miss Black. I'm afraid I will have to confiscate it."

Hermione scowled, annoyed that the small tome had been caught. She read a lot of books on Dark Magic, wanting to have the best understanding of the enemy, but _Moste Potente Potions_ was hardly anything to be concerned about. Sure, there were one or two particularly nasty potions in it, but nothing that the majority of her schoolmates could hope to accomplish. "That's fine. Please owl it to my father so that he may return it to our family's library."

Professor Vector quickly agreed, knowing that Hermione Black was a smart girl, clearly interested in expanding her academic knowledge. She certainly didn't blame her for it, and sometimes thought Albus was too restrictive with the library. A remnant from a time when Tom Riddle was at school, Septima was sure.

While she was flicking her wand about Hermione's trunk, a set of bra and knickers fell out onto the dirty ground. Hermione grimaced, seeing the nude lace getting some dirt on it, not to mention she didn't really fancy having her unmentionables paraded about for everyone to see. She hoped that Theo hadn't noticed, but the bright blush and surprised look on his face gave him away, even though he was looking away.

"Is this really necessary?" Hermione hissed. Her professor was clearly uncomfortable with what happened as well, and returned Hermione's clothing to the trunk, snapping it shut.

"You are free to go Miss Black. I am very sorry." Her professor apologized. "You may head up to the castle now."

Hermione headed up to the castle, promising to save a spot for Theo and Draco. The whole time she was walking, she was internally fuming. What a horrendous invasion of privacy! Really, she was sure that Dumbledore didn't mind the intrusion as he was just doing it in the name of the greater good...a phrase she was coming to hate.

* * *

After dinner, Hermione was eager to get back to the door room with Daphne and Tracey. "Let's ward the staircase so that we know when Pansy and Millie are coming back! I have a secret to tell you." Tracey told the other two, deviously.

Hermione went about setting the wards, before changing into her pajamas with the other two girls. Pansy and Millie had gone stalking through the castle, looking for Merlin knows what. Hermione grabbed her pillow and joined the two girls in front of the crackling fire in their shared dorm. The dungeons were so cold it was a necessity.

"So, what is it? Spill!" Daphne encouraged her friend, using a mirror to put some muggle hair rollers into her hair, much to Hermione's surprise. It was a bit of a cool thing for pureblood girls to use muggle beauty products, though they would never admit it.

"I've done _it_ , over the summer. I'm a woman now." The redhead said proudly. Hermione looked at her seriously, noticing that she didn't look too different, just that she seemed like she was glowing or something.

"Done it?" Hermione asked, confused about what her friend meant.

"You know, had sex." Tracey said with a smile.

Hermione gasped, a hand over her mouth. "Tracey!" She couldn't imagine what would happen if she just gave away her virginity. Aunt Narcissa would be so disappointed in her. "Aren't you worried about your reputation?" She asked, scandalized.

"Hermione." Daphne said sternly. "You don't really believe all that tripe about your worth only being based in your virginity, do you?" Her green eyes were wide in surprise that her independent friend would have such antiquated views.

"Well, I don't like it, but...my Aunt Narcissa would be so disappointed." Hermione replied, before reading between the lines. "Wait, Daphne, does this mean that you've had sex too?" She was so scandalized, not believing that this had all been going on right under her nose.

"Um, not sex, but I have done other stuff." Daphne said, with a blush on her cheeks. "You know...like I've given a blow job before, and I've...well someone returned the favor." Hermione wished that she wasn't so clueless to all this. Of course she always just assumed that she would let a relationship progress naturally, but she hadn't even thought about what having sex with someone would be like. It wasn't on her list of priorities right now. She'd need a boyfriend first.

"What's it like?" Hermione asked, suddenly on the edge of her seat. What better way to learn than from her two trusted girlfriends?

"Well, it was very nice. I mean, it feels better than anything. And I kind of liked pleasuring the guy too. It's...powerful to see a normally put together guy come undone under my fingers and mouth." Daphne said it proudly. "I've only done it with one guy though, Adrian Pucey. Who'd you do it with Tracey?" Daphne asked.

"Grant Page." Tracey said, excited. "He's got trails with Puddlemere this summer." Grant was a Ravenclaw who'd graduated two or three years ago. Hermione remembered he was a pretty good keeper when he was at school and fairly attractive as well.

"Are you going to see him again?" Hermione asked, happy for her friend.

"He agreed to take me to the first Hogsmeade weekend." Tracey revealed. "And that he'd write before then." Tracey was so pleased that she'd found someone who wanted to date her. Some of the guys in her own house wouldn't give her the time of day, just because she was a half-blood. Or they would give her the time of day, but only on the condition that it remain a secret.

Before the girls could ask any more questions of Tracey, the wards went off, letting them know that Pansy and Millie were back. The three shared a secret smile, before getting up off the floor and returning to their own beds for the night.

When Hermione got back to her bed, she was surprised to see her copy of _Moste Potente Potions_ waiting for her on the duvet. A smiled worked it's way onto her face before she knew it. Maybe everyone wasn't so quick to write her off, just because she was a Slytherin.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Huge thank you to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter! MEGA thank you to everyone who reviewed! This story just surpassed 500 reviews, and I am so blown away by the support. You all are such lovely people! So, thank you!

I think you all are going to really like this chapter. I would love to know what you thought of chapter nineteen, and be on the lookout for chapter twenty soon!

* * *

It had spread like wildfire through the school that Ronald Weasley had been selected by Gryffindor captain Harry Potter to be their team's new keeper. In Hermione's opinion, it certainly seemed like cronyism. She had it on good authority (Millie had gone to the Gryffindor tryouts for some reconnaissance) that Cormac McLaggen had made just as many saves.

Not that Hermione was particularly fond of McLaggen - she actually found him to be quite irritating - she thought he was likely a better fit for the Gryffindor team than Weasley. She was under the impression that he'd only gotten the position because his best friend was captain. Which was ironic really, when they'd been so sure that Draco had bought his way onto the Slytherin team.

It was nice, Hermione thought, to see Draco return to his original self for a short while. So far, he'd been so sulky, but then when he heard about Weasley being selected, he'd rubbed his hands together, excited at the mayhem he could cause.

He'd written a delightful little terrace chant about Weasley's keeping skills, which Hermione had helped with, because Draco was really terrible at rhyming. The chants were one part of the Quidditch match that Hermione liked a lot, and she couldn't wait to hear all of Slytherin singing _Weasley is Our King_.

She wished Draco good luck in his match, before walking with Theo towards the pitch. It was a little bit chilly, but with her green and silver scarf wrapped tightly around her body, Hermione was sure that she could keep warm. Still, she wouldn't be opposed to snuggling up to Theo if he was amenable.

They found seats quickly, saving spots for the rest of the girls. "Did you ever think about trying out for the team, Theo?" Hermione asked. Vince and Greg had taken up the spots of beaters in fourth year, and Blaise became a chaser the year before. But, as far as she knew, Theo had never tried out, despite him enjoying the sport.

Theo smiled. "No, I don't mind playing pickup Quidditch, but I don't have the time to devote to practices. My schoolwork is more important to me." He admitted. Hermione was a bit jealous to learn that he was a fair flyer. She'd never taken to a broom, much to her papa's disappointment, so she'd hoped that someone else shared her dislike of flying.

Still, it was nice to learn that he would give up sports for his school work. Soon, the girls filled in and Hermione found herself sitting much closer to Theo than before. If he minded, he didn't make it known.

With a whistle, the game was off to a start, and Millie quickly got Weasley is Our King started. It was intense to hear all of Slytherin house, and even some of Ravenclaw singing along. But, to Hermione's disappointment, it didn't seem to affect Weasley at all. He looked determined throughout the game, and made several incredibly impressive saves. Even Hermione could tell they were great.

Then, compounding that disappointment, Harry Potter caught the snitch, winning the game for Gryffindor. Hermione groaned, pressing her face into Theo's shoulder. "Draco's gonna be insufferable." She told him, looking stricken. They hurried back to the Common Room, wanting to be a positive force after such a disappointing loss.

It didn't take Draco long to storm into the Common Room, freshly showered from the game, and throw himself into the couch. With his friends and teammates around him, nothing could help cheer him up. He was just sullen. What was worse was that the Gryffindors had rewritten their wonderful song to support Weasley instead of disparaging him.

Hermione felt so badly for Draco that she didn't even scold him for drinking firewhiskey. She was worried about her cousin, but she knew that there was nothing she could do to help him right now, other than try to be there for him, when he was ready to accept her help.

* * *

With the school year started, Hermione joined Theo in the library to resume their usual studying schedule in the library after dinner. It was a routine that had worked out well over the years, and it was a time when the two of them were alone together. Their solitude had been intruded on time and again, but to Theo's private delight, Daphne wouldn't be joining them this year for Potions study, as she'd dropped the subject.

He knew it was rather selfish, but he liked having Hermione on his own, and he'd been looking forward to it all summer. He loved that he had been able to find one friend who didn't mind his studious nature and that she respected his space. Theo was an intensely private person, and he didn't like it when others got into his business. Surprisingly, he found himself _wanting_ to share his secrets with the curly haired witch.

The only problem with being alone with the girl in the library was that his mind always wandered back to the time in the summer when she'd joined him in the Malfoy's library. It was true that he'd been hiding out there, just wanting to be left in solitude, but then Hermione had swept in and made everything seem bright again.

He told her about his mother and she in turn told him about hers. Then she had the gall to suggest that he might want to stop being her friend. She couldn't help who her parents were or the nature of her conception, so who was he to judge? She'd been so pretty sitting in the sunlight, that he could think of nothing better to do than kiss her.

He'd almost done it too! Except, then Draco walked in, with a smirk that clearly suggested he knew what they'd been up to.

Now, he couldn't stop thinking about her lips. She was constantly nibbling on her lower lip whenever she read over a text, or edited her essays and he couldn't help but let his eyes drop to the plump flesh trapped between white teeth. He wondered what she would taste like.

Hermione had really grown to be quite pretty, but she rarely indulged in her looks like the other Slytherin girls. It made her transformations for formal events all the more breathtaking, though he found he prefered this Hermione. She was pale, but her nose and cheeks were always peppered with freckles when she returned from summer vacation.

Theo knew that Hermione was often annoyed with her hair, but he found he quite liked it. Sometimes, in the privacy of his own bed, he imagined what it would be like to tangle his hands in her wild hair, pull her to him and kiss her. Would she accept his advances? Or would she let him down gently as his friend?

He remembered last year when Daphne seemed to suggest that Hermione had feelings for him, and he remembered that she had been quite upset when she realized that their trip to Hogsmeade wasn't a real date. Perhaps he should ask her again to Hogsmeade, only do it properly this time.

Hermione suddenly looked up at him with a concerned look on her face, and Theo realized that he'd been staring at her for an inordinate amount of time. "Theo, is everything alright?" She asked quietly, obviously not wanting to alert any of their peers to their discussion.

Theo cleared his throat, taking a moment to gather all of the courage he possessed. Even if Hermione said no, she wouldn't be mean about it, he consoled himself. "I was just thinking...Hogsmeade is just around the corner, and I was wondering, if you might like to go with me, if you wanted to?" Merlin, Theo cringed. He couldn't have been less sauve if he tried!

Hermione smiled cautiously. "I would like that, Theo." She seemed nervous, like she didn't want to get her hopes up, and that hurt Theo. He couldn't believe that he'd upset her so badly last time.

Grabbing her hand on the table, he looked into her brown eyes. "Just to be clear, I mean this as...a proper date, Hermione." Her eyes widened in surprise. Theo always found Hermione's eyes to be beautiful, captivating really. He knew that Pansy said they were a muddy brown, but Theo thought they looked warm, inviting, like amaretto.

With a pretty blush staining her cheeks, Hermione gave him a shy grin. "I am excited to see what you have planned for us."

Theo felt a breath leave him that he hadn't even realized he was holding. Maybe this year wouldn't be as bad as he'd imagined.

* * *

Hermione was so annoyed after Potions that she marched right out of the dungeons and into the Great Hall, slamming her books on the table. Wincing at the loud slap, she sat down and let out a frustrated huff. She just wanted the day to be over.

Daphne looked up in surprise from her lunch, taking in Hermione's hair. Her curly hair always had a bit of extra volume after potions, due to the heat coming off the cauldron, but this was ridiculous. It was about three times it's usual size. "What's happened to your hair, Hermione?"

Hermione quickly brought a hand to her hair and was surprised by how large it was, her eyes widening comically. "I didn't even notice. Isn't that just great." She sighed. Draco slumped into the seat next to her, and Hermione took out her wand, trying a few charms to fix her hair. It helped a little bit, but, honestly not that much.

"Well, are you going to tell me what happened?" Daphne prodded, annoyed at being out of the loop. "You love potions."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, intent on finding Potter at the Gryffindor table. "I did love potions, but now Professor Slughorn is convinced that Potter is some kind of bloody potions prodigy." She found him sandwiched between the two youngest Weasleys. Bingo.

"Hermione's just annoyed at not being the best for once." Draco said, with none of the usual teasing tone in his voice. He actually sounded quite apathetic for once.

"Well, doesn't it bother _you_?" Hermione demanded of her cousin. It was not secret that Draco and Potter had been adversaries from practically day one. "He has to be cheating. He finished the potion today in half the time the instructions said it would take."

Draco just shrugged. "I'm not as interested in impressing Professor Slughorn. It's not like he is a natural potioneer like Severus." Hermione was surprised that Draco's casual use of their Head of House's given name, but she knew that the man had close ties to the Malfoy family.

"I just think that he must be cheating." Hermione asserted again, to her two friends amusement. "The way that he is always carrying his potions book around with him is suspicious in the very least, don't you think so?"

"Honestly, Hermione, I don't care _what_ Potter does." Draco groused at her, annoyed that they were still talking about this. Hermione was certainly surprised to hear that Draco didn't care what Potter was up to, but it seemed as though he had a lot on his mind. "If you don't shut up about it, I'm going to leave."

Hermione frowned. Draco never snapped at her, no matter how much she was getting on his nerves. She was worried about him, but decided not to say anything more about the topic, even though she was positive that Potter was cheating. You just didn't go from being mediocre to a prodigy over the course of the summer, especially with such a lacklustre Professor that Slughorn was. Sure, Professor Snape might make you nervous, but you wouldn't get that much better.

She let her eyes trail across the Great Hall to find Potter again, and she nearly gasped, thinking that he was looking at her. But then, she narrowed her eyes and noticed that Potter wasn't looking at her, but rather at her cousin. Very intently.

* * *

When Theo brought Hermione to Hogsmeade this time, everything seemed so much better. Hermione had been a ball of nervousness, nearly unable to fall asleep the night before. She'd gotten ready with Tracey and Daphne, picking out a nice dress once again, wanting to make a good impression.

Daphne had insisted on transfiguring the dress here and there - a shorter hemline, a bit tighter in the waist - to Hermione's chagrin. Still, she had to admit that the overall look was appealing. Daphne smiled at her in the mirror they were sharing. "After all, we already know that Theo likes your mind, you're such good friends. It's time to show him what you've been hiding under your uniform."

The salacious words from Daphne made her cheeks go pink, and filled her mind with all kind of naughty thoughts to run through her head. Would Theo like to see what she looked like underneath her dress? Seeing his surprise when she met him by the carriages was worth all the fussing though. His mouth hung open for a moment, before he told her how nice she looked.

Theo had taken her to Honeyduke's first and insisted on buying her several packs of sugar quills (privately, Theo loved watching her eat them, as he sometimes caught a glimpse of her pink tongue). When Hermione asked if he wanted to go to the bookstore, he readily agreed, and the browsed the periodicals, sitting together on the provided couch while they flipped through them.

Afterwards, Theo led her to the Three Broomsticks for lunch, which Hermione was very pleased about. She'd only been there once before, as the Slytherins prefered the Hog's Head usually, as it was a bit more quiet. When she inquired about why he brought her there, he looked nervous. "I just thought that you deserved some place a bit cleaner for our first date."

Hermione had smiled and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly. It was shaping up to be a wonderful first date. Theo was an absolute gentleman, and Hermione briefly wondered if Draco had said something to him before they left. He hadn't offered to be their chaperone, so Hermione figured that he trusted his friend. All the better for her, as she didn't fancy sharing a date with her cousin.

They spent the first half of their meal discussing different places around the world that they wanted to go visit. Theo listened to her describe the house in France that she'd grown up in, and had ever suggested that he'd like to visit. Hermione could only imagine what her papa would do if she asked for a boy to accompany them.

By the time they were finishing up, though, Hermione's focus was completely engulfed by Harry Potter and his two dimwitted friends. She pointed them out to Theo as Professor Slughorn approached the table. Hermione thought it odd that the rest of the teachers seemed to avoid him, but seeing that he was well into his cups, she didn't blame them.

Slughorn practically shouted across the bar that he was inviting Potter to the Slug Club. As an afterthought he invited Longbottom as well, but passed over Weasley. Returning her attention to Theo, she could see him scowling, again put out that the crimes of his father were holding him back. "Honestly, Potter is only being invited because he's cheating his way through potions. And Longbottom? He must have broken the record for number of exploded cauldrons."

Her assessment of Longbottom's ineptitude did little to cheer Theo's mood, though, so she insisted they head back to the castle. Holding Theo's hand while walking on the snowy path was romantic and had Hermione's heart beating faster than she'd ever felt it. She wondered if he would kiss her when they returned to the dorms.

But, alas, romance was not in the cards for their walk home, because when they got just outside of the village, they noticed a bit of a commotion up ahead. Katie Bell, a Gryffindor, was flying through the air, her face contorted in extreme pain. Cursed.

Both Theo and Hermione were so shocked by what they'd seen that they hurried all the way back to their dorms, wanting to be in the safety of the castle, and away from cursed girls. With their luck, they would be suspected just because they were Slytherins and they were nearby, though, Hermione had clearly noticed a necklace on the ground that was much too expensive for the likes of Bell to have purchased.

The safety of the Slytherin Common room was short lived though. Theo quickly dropped her hand, seeing Draco storm into the room, his hand tightly clenched around his wand. Hermione made a move to stop him, but he brushed past her, rage clear on his face.

Her shoulders dropped, feeling rather dejected, and she turned to face Theo. "I had a really lovely time today, Theo. Thank you for taking me, but I am feeling quite tired now. I might go lay down for a bit." She offered him a bright smile, though she didn't feel it. "See you tonight at dinner?"

Not waiting for him to answer, Hermione climbed the stairs to the girls' dorms and quickly pulled out her mirror, shutting her curtains around her. It didn't take long for her papa's face to come into view. "Papa, I think there is something wrong with Draco." She told him solemnly.

"What makes you say that?" Sirius asked, briefly concerned, though generally not too bothered by Draco's moods.

"He just hasn't been acting himself since school started. He doesn't seem to care about much anymore." Hermione revealed to him. "He's been brushing me off, too."

"Hermione, Draco is going through a lot right now. His father is in Azkaban, and not only that, but this is kind of a difficult time in a boy's life. Trust me, I was one once, and you are swimming in enough rage and hormones to seem a little bit off." Sirius chuckled, thinking back to his time as a teenage boy. Merlin, he went back and forth with his friends.

Hermione's eyebrows drew together in concern. "Alright, I guess I will lay off him a bit. But, for the record, I'm still concerned. I'm going to keep an eye on him."

"I wouldn't expect any less, sweetheart." Her papa told her fondly. His Hermione was a truly sweet and caring girl.

* * *

Theo had planned on kissing Hermione after their date to Hogsmeade, but things had just kind of spiraled out of control. Yes, he'd sulked at hearing that fucking _Longbottom_ was being invited to the Slug Club, but he still wasn't. Then there was the unpleasant business with Katie Bell getting herself cursed, which the school administration had been particularly quiet about.

Still, he'd had some hope that he might still salvage it by the time that he got them back to the dorms. But of course, Draco had to swoop in and darken the mood. His friend had been a real pain in the arse all summer long, and it had only continued when they returned to Hogwarts. Theo had initially thought it was living with his Aunt Bellatrix - a woman to be avoided at all costs - or perhaps his OWL results. But now...he was worried about his friend.

Hermione had been worried as well, given the way that she quickly excused herself to her room.

It meant no kiss. Now, though, a week later, Theo still hadn't managed to gather the courage to kiss her. He spent so much time alone with her in the library, he knew it should be a simple task, but he couldn't gather the courage to do it. Sure, it had seemed like she had a good time on the date, but perhaps she'd just been pretending? She was awfully quick to get away from him when they returned.

There was a tension between them now, and Theo could barely stand awkward silences and looks that never existed before. Maybe this was just her way of letting him down gently? Merlin, he just wanted things to be normal between them.

Hearing voices approaching in the distance, Theo looked up and noticed that he'd wandered to a completely unknown part of the castle. Had he really walked that long lost in thoughts of Hermione? He looked around the corner and noticed that it was McLaggen, a seventh year Gryffindor and Sean Peakes, a seventh year Hufflepuff.

Ducking into an alcove, he stood and listened to what they were saying. One thing you learned in Slytherin was that a bit of eavesdropping was _never_ a bad thing. Plus, he remembered what Blaise had said about McLaggen flirting with Hermione on the train.

"So, I've decided that I'm going to ask her to Sluggy's little Christmas party. How could she say no to me?" Theo could tell that the git was smiling, even though he couldn't see his face.

Peakes answered, confusion evident in his voice. "What's so great about Black anyway? She seems rather annoying and uptight to me. Not to mention those pureblood girls are always so serious about keeping their legs shut."

"Well, she's certainly grown up over the summer, hasn't she?" McLaggen asked in that smarmy way that practically defined him. Merlin, Theo didn't think he'd ever heard such an entitled person before, and he was friends with Draco and Blaise! "When I saw her on the train, I knew that I had to have her. And if anyone can get her legs open, it's me." McLaggen promised, with a smirk, clearly confident in his abilities.

The way that the two boys were talking about Hermione made Theo sick. He stayed in the alcove, hiding, well after they'd continued down the hall. It made him so mad, but then, a little niggling fear presented itself to him. What if Hermione agreed to go with McLaggen? What if she wanted that twat to slobber all over her?

He knew now that he had to let her know about the truth of his feelings, that he wanted to be with her before some stupid Gryffindor came in and tried to have a go at her. And it was only partly because he was possessive over her, but it was also because he couldn't stand to see anyone treat her with less respect than she deserved.

He was striding down the hallway then, skipping steps to get to the dungeons as quickly as possible. He burst into the Slytherin Common Room, and Theo couldn't believe his luck that Hermione was standing there, talking to Tracey.

Not faltering for a second, Theo strode across the room to Hermione in three short steps. She looked confused, when he grabbed her by the sides of her face, and tilted her head up to meet his eyes. He searched her brilliant brown eyes for any resistance, and when he found none, he pressed his lips to hers.

It felt so much better than he expected, and he pressed his lips harder against hers, catching her often nibbled lower lip between his own, sighing into the searing kiss. He felt her practically melt against his body, and could think of nothing better than to kiss Hermione Black at every opportunity he got.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Thank you to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter. Huge thank you to everyone who reviewed! Wow, who knew all I needed to include was one tiny little kiss to get so much feedback! Thank you so much! If you'd like sneak peaks of future chapters and other stuff I am working on, you can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour).

Well, everyone was excited about the kiss of course, but you know I can't just let everything work out _too_ easily...please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-one soon!

* * *

After the initial rush of pleasure caused by kissing Hermione had ebbed, Theo pulled back suddenly, releasing Hermione from his grip, and looking down at her with fear evident in his green eyes. Merlin, what had initially seemed like such a good idea was ending up seeming like a catastrophe!

He'd kissed Hermione, in front of practically everyone in Slytherin house. And he didn't even know if she _wanted_ him to kiss her. Did one apologize after they've foisted themselves upon their best friend? He figured it couldn't hurt, and breathed out a shaky apology, before turning tail and running up to the boys' dorms. He could hear her calling his name in the background, in a significantly annoyed tone.

So perhaps leaving was the best move.

Seeing Blaise and Draco already in their room, Theo groaned and threw himself on his bed face first. "Oi, what's wrong with you?" Draco asked. Theo snorted, surprised that the blond had pulled his head out of his own arse for the first time all semester to inquire about his well being.

Theo mumbled into his pillow that he'd kissed Hermione, to his friends' endless amusement. "Sorry, mate, can't hear you if you tell the pillows. I guess it must not be that important." Blaise said in that bored tone of his that he'd perfected through the years. You might think that he didn't care, given how aloof he was, but Theo knew better.

Sighing, he pushed himself up and turned around to face his friends. "I just kissed Hermione in front of the whole common room." He said. Was he blushing? Judging by the intense heat he felt on his face, he'd say that yes, he was.

Blaise and Draco responded at the same time, and to Theo's amusement had entirely different reactions. Blaise offered a calm, "Oh, is that all?", whereas Draco stood from his bed clearly annoyed and spat out, "What do you mean you kissed _Hermione_?"

Oh, for all of the times for Draco's protective cousin thing to come out it had to be now. Draco turned to Blaise. "What the hell do you mean 'Oh, is that all'?" Theo could see Draco's hands flexing as though he wanted to form them into fists.

Blaise just rolled his eyes. "Obviously, the pair of them have been panting after each other for years. Please don't tell me you haven't noticed it." Draco's cheeks turned a bright red, and Theo thought he was doing a great impression of Weasley. "Fuck, of course you haven't. Merlin, you can be dense sometimes." Blaise rolled his eyes at Draco, before turning back to face Theo. "So, tell us the details...what did she say?" Blaise prodded, turning the attention back onto Theo.

"I, uh, panicked, and apologized and then came here." Theo said, before seeing Blaise's shocked face. "What? I just ran into the common room, grabbed her and kissed her, without really asking or...and then I didn't want her to...I guess reject me." Theo said, annoyed. He hated feeling so unsure of himself.

Draco had calmed a little bit at this point, and returned to his own bed, but was still happy to snark at Theo. "Everyone knows you don't ask a witch before you kiss her. She'll let you know if she doesn't want to kiss you."

Blaise smirked. "Plus it sounds pretty romantic. Witches eat that shit up. You taking charge and all that." His mind was clearly wandering to some memory he had with another witch. "So what made you kiss her anyway? Why'd you snap?" Blaise knew that _something_ must have happened to have Theo swoop in and kiss Hermione with no preamble.

Theo ran his hand through his hair. "I was walking through the halls and I heard that Gryffindor McLaggen saying that he was going to ask her to Slughorn's Christmas party." Theo said, choosing to leave out the two boys' words about getting Hermione to put out, as he didn't think Draco's heart could take another shock so soon. "And so I just realized that I needed to...let her know how I feel."

He could feel Draco's glare on the side of his face. "And just how do you feel Theo? Because Merlin help me, if you hurt or use my cousin..." He trailed off in a way that Theo figured was supposed to be threatening, but coming from a ferrety boy that he'd known since they were small, it didn't exactly strike fear in his heart.

Talking about how he felt with Draco and Blaise though was a new level of vulnerability he wasn't sure he wanted to cross. Still, he trusted them, and he needed their advice. "I, really like her, I mean, she's my best friend. But, recently, I've been seeing her as...more than that. I don't want to hurt her, I want to be with her." He told them, resolutely. He wasn't unsure about his feelings for Hermione.

"Aww, our Theo has just realized his feelings." Blaise cooed, to both Draco and Theo's chagrin. "Well, what are you going to do about it? As far as I can tell, you left a confused witch down in the common room."

Theo ran his hand through his hair again. "Well, I can't go talk to her _now_. She's going to be so pissed that I just left."

"Yeah, give her time to cool off. She'll come around." Draco said, knowing from his experience of annoying Hermione throughout the years. "And then just be honest with her. She's a big fan of honesty." Draco said that like it was a bad thing.

The three guys talked through the rest of the night, Blaise giving Theo stealthy tips on how to woo a woman, and Draco sharing some of his exploits with one of of Beauxbatons girls in Fourth Year. It felt like old times.

* * *

Hermione wasn't avoiding Theo, per say, but she was giving her friend some space. Still, she couldn't face him and pretend like the kiss hadn't happened. He'd asked if they could talk about what happened at the end of the week, and Hermione agreed, though she could hardly wait for the conversation to happen. She'd been so elated, but surprised, when Theo kissed her. It was wonderful, perfect even, and they fit together so naturally. But then, he'd looked shocked and ran away, so she hoped that he wasn't going to let her down gently.

Still, it was a good time for her to spend with Daphne and Tracey, as she had to admit, she'd been so focused on her schoolwork and Draco's odd behavior that she'd been letting them slip by the wayside.

It was good timing too, as Tracey had gone through a rather harsh breakup with her Quidditch lover, and was not coping well with seeing all the lovey dovey couples. Hermione kept her thoughts and concerns about Theo to herself, as she didn't want to upset her friend. Though, she did desperately wish she could ask the other two much more experienced girls for their advice.

All week, Tracey had been wearing her long red hair in a tight french braid, and just not putting much care into her appearance. She had dark circles under her eyes, and it was concerning Hermione. Why was this year turning out to be so awful? Not only was her entire social structure in an upheaval, but the news reports were considerably depressing. So many disappearances and oddities.

"Could they be any more disgusting?" Tracey asked, not even needing to indicate who she was talking about. The news that Weasley and Lavender Brown were dating had spread throughout the castle like wildfire, though Hermione didn't understand why that was gossip worthy. Then again, Brown was known to be quite the little gossip, so maybe it was by design.

Their public displays of affection were stomach churning on a regular day, but today was just downright explicit. Hermione could see that Brown had perched herself on Weasley's lap, and they'd been snogging for the complete duration of the lunch hour. Hermione looked to the redhead's two companions. "Ha, even Potter and Longbottom look a bit green in the gills."

That got a very unladylike snort of agreement from Tracey, and a scandalized gasp from Daphne. "Honestly, snogging in the Great Hall! Doesn't that stupid bint know that Weaselbee isn't going anywhere?"

"As if anyone else would want him." Hermione said snidely. "I can only imagine what Aunt Narcissa would say if she caught me doing that." Hermione knew that that was a conversation she _never_ wanted to have.

"I wonder what she would say about you and Theo snogging in the common room!" Daphne giggled behind her hand. She was really excited about her friend's love life, especially when the blonde could just _tell_ how suited the pair was. Not to mention that they'd obviously been in love with each other for longer than either of them realized.

"Daphne!" Hermione hissed, not wanting to upset Tracey. "We weren't snogging. It was just a kiss." Hermione wished she could believe the words. I was so much more than just a kiss to her.

"Well, what's going on with that anyway?" Tracey asked, keenly looking at Hermione. Even if her love life had gone to shite didn't mean that she wouldn't live vicariously through their normally reserved friend. "Have you spoken to him yet?"

Merlin, it felt good to get permission to talk about it. Tracey wouldn't have asked if it bothered her, Hermione rationalized. "We are meeting tomorrow evening to talk about it. I've just been giving him some space. I don't want him to feel...I don't know, obligated." She grimaced.

Daphne and Tracey dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Don't worry Hermione, I am sure that Theo felt anything but obligated. It was a pretty steamy kiss." Tracey nodded in agreement, before wistfully sighing. She wished a boy would kiss her like _that_.

Hermione sure hoped that they were right because she certainly wouldn't mind kissing him again.

* * *

Theo and Hermione met in the library. Hermione figured that it was a good idea because it was a place both of them were quite comfortable in, so there shouldn't be any surprises. Further, it was a Friday night, and the library was usually deserted. That way, if things went poorly, Hermione wouldn't be embarrassed in front of her peers, and if things went well...well, they wouldn't be interrupted.

She found Theo already waiting at their usual table, but when she arrived he stood. "I thought we could talk in one of those window nooks...I thought it might be a little bit more comfortable." He offered her his arm, which Hermione thought was probably a good sign. He lead her over to a cluster of loveseats in the back corner of the library by the huge windows overlooking the Black Lake, setting them both down.

He immediately ran his hand through his hair, a sign Hermione knew was a habit of nervousness. Still, it did make him look quite tousled, and...Merlin, he'd really become quite fit hadn't he? Where he'd previously been gangly, he'd filled out with lean muscle. She hadn't realized just quite how tall he'd gotten, until he kissed her. She figured they had _at least_ half a foot difference between them.

His lips weren't full like Blaise's or thin like Draco's, but somewhere pleasant in the middle. They'd certainly felt heavenly when they'd been pressed against her mouth. His long, straight nose made him look quite serious. But, by far his best feature were his light green eyes. She could spend hours staring into them.

Hermione shook her head, not wanting to seem like Lavender Brown, going a bit funny in the head just because she was sitting on a small, isolated bench with the guy she fancied. Still, Theo was the one who asked her here, so she certainly wasn't going to be the first one to break the awkward silence that had settled between them.

After what felt like an eternity, Theo opened his mouth to speak. "I...thanks for waiting to talk to me. First, I wanted to say that I am sorry I kissed you in the Common Room like some kind of...I don't know, Gryffindor? It wasn't fair to you to put you on the spot like that." He offered, his eyes chancing a glance up to her face.

Hermione was staring at him, positively adoringly. "I...that's okay, Theo. I quite liked the kiss." She revealed, cheeks pink.

Theo didn't seem to register her words though, and plodded through his apologies. "Secondly, I wanted to apologize for running away afterwards. That was pretty rude of me and...wait, did you just say you liked it?" He asked, surprised.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Yes, I did say that I liked it. And I was a bit upset that you just left, and then you've been avoiding me all week, but I wouldn't mind doing it again." She searched his face, and for a moment of horror, noticed that he hadn't hinted at wanting anything more with her. Maybe she'd been a horrible kisser? After all, she'd only ever kissed Viktor before Theo. She decided to back pedal. "I mean, that is, if _you_ wanted to do it again." Merlin, she wished a hole would come and swallow her up.

Instead, though, Theo was pressing his hand into her hair, and looking at her so sweetly, and pressing his lips against hers again. Hermione was embarrassed, but couldn't stop the moan that blossomed in her throat. Tentatively, she opened her mouth wanting to be pressed more fully against him, and delighted in the Theo's responding groan.

He pulled away from her, and Hermione followed, not wanting the sensual caress of his lips to be taken from her. Theo pushed firmly against her shoulders, before giving her a timid smile at her disappointed face. He ran his hand through his hair again. "Not that I...don't want to keep doing that, but I wanted to talk to you about our relationship, first."

"Relationship?" Hermione asked a bit breathless.

"Yes, I'd like to date you, Hermione. Will you be my girlfriend?" Theo asked her, searching her eyes for a confirmation. "I'm sorry that it can't be a more formal courtship right now, with my father in Azkaban." He added, suddenly a bit nervous again. His father's actions were bleeding into every aspect of his life.

Hermione looked at him a bit stupidly. Did Theo really think that she was going to decline his offer just because his father was locked away? That she'd spurn his affections just because they couldn't enter into a formal courtship? "Oh, Theo, yes, I'll be your girlfriend. It's all I've wanted since...well, last year." She told him, a huge grin on her face.

It was gorgeous to watch Theo's nervousness melt away into happiness. He lunged forward then, pressing her back against the cushioned armrest of the loveseat, and they spent the rest of the afternoon kissing in the library.

* * *

The extreme happiness that Hermione had felt with her newly minted relationship distracted her from Draco's behavior for a while. Maybe her papa was right, and Draco was just having some girl trouble. Although she knew that he detested Pansy's pushy behavior, she'd recently set her eyes on a seventh year Ravenclaw. Perhaps he was annoyed at not being so desired any more?

Still, she couldn't be distracted any longer when he was called out by Professor Flitwick during Charms class. They'd been asked to hand in their essays and Professor Flitwick's disappointed sigh at the front of her table surprised her. "Mister Malfoy, this is the fifth essay that you've failed to hand in on time."

Hermione's head had snapped to Draco's face. He wasn't even making an effort to sneer at the little man or charm him with some kind of excuse. He was just staring sullenly at the clear expanse of desk in front of him.

Professor Flitwick was clearly annoyed too, and sighed again, crossing his arms. "Well, I suppose that missing out on the points hasn't made much of an impression, so let's see if a detention will get your attention." Flitwick turned to Hermione then, and grabbed her essay from the table. "Perhaps you could learn something from Miss Black."

Hermione sat through the lesson vibrating between anger and concern for her cousin. The consequences of subpar grades that Lucius would dole out were incentive enough to at least hand in something. Sure, he was in Azkaban now, but she didn't figure that would last forever. Voldemort had already proved that he could break people out of the prison.

As soon as the lesson was over, Hermione was snapping out of her seat, following Draco from the classroom, only to grab his sleeve, and practically drag him down the hallway. She pulled him into one of the empty classrooms, and locked the door behind them.

When she turned to face Draco, she could see that he was annoyed, but she was going to get to the bottom of it. "What the fuck was that, Draco?" He flinched at her use of profanity. Of course, her father still swore frequently, but it wasn't a habit that Hermione had picked up. "You've turned in _five_ essays late?"

"What's it to you? It doesn't affect _your_ grades." Draco sneered.

"Draco, what's going on with you? You have been acting very odd all semester. Please let me know what's happening so I can help you." Hermione begged him. She and her cousin had their differences, but she still loved him and cared about him. She wanted to take care of him.

"Nothing is going on Hermione. Merlin, could you keep your nose out of my business for once?" He hissed back at her, all of his anger boiling over. His face was vicious, and she was horrified. What had become of her cousin? This was no longer the boy who would chase her on a broom when they were younger, this was someone frightened and on edge, like a wounded animal.

Hermione felt tears in her eyes, and turned to leave the room. The sudden realization swept over her as soon as she left Draco behind. Was it possible that her cousin had...taken the mark? She knew that Voldemort must have been upset with the way his little trip to the Ministry had gone, and Uncle Lucius had been named as the ring leader.

Was Draco being forced to fix his father's mistakes?

* * *

Hermione had asked Theo to attend Slughorn's Christmas party as her date. He had of course readily accepted, as it was expected, seeing that he was her boyfriend. Merlin, the novelty of that wouldn't wear off, he wagered. He couldn't wait to see McLaggen's smug face fall when she showed up with him.

She'd looked stunning when she walked down the stairs in her velvet green robes, and hair arranged artfully in an updo, he suspected Daphne had something to do with. She looked every bit a pureblood witch. He could imagine her striding down the grand staircase in Nott Manor...he smiled. It was a little bit early for thoughts like _that,_ he mused.

The party was alright, with copious amounts of alcoholic punch that he sipped on. There were expensive hors d'oeuvres that were so obviously expensive it was gauche. Theo didn't really expect much more from Slughorn though.

It was delightful to watch Hermione walk through the room, talking with all the different kind of people there. There were several graduates who were intrigued to meet both him and Hermione. He figured it had something to do with the twenty OWLs between the two of them. They were well matched, each receiving only one E in a pack of Os. Hermione had been disappointed to get an E in Defense Against the Dark Arts, whereas Theo had gotten an E in Care of Magical Creatures. Being able to see the thestrals just disturbed him.

Slughorn, well into his cups if his red nose was anything to judge by, had finally deigned to grace them with his presence. He'd heaped praise onto Hermione's shoulders, but delivered it all in a way that was condescending. Like he couldn't believe she could be so accomplished as a dull, vapid, pureblooded girl.

The Professor had completely panned Theo, to his annoyance. But it wasn't just annoyance. It had slowly bubbled up to anger over the way he'd been treated this year. Yes, his father was in Azkaban, but it wasn't as if Theo was. He hated the way that everyone just put his father's crimes on to him.

His father's...associations were holding him back. He couldn't even court Hermione properly with his father in the prison. Hermione was looking at him and noticed that something was wrong. "I've grown rather bored of the party, Theo, shall we return to the common room?" Hermione asked him. Oh, bless her.

Theo let her lead him from the party, her warm hand nestled into his arm. Stepping into the hallway was instantly soothing. He hadn't realized how warm he'd gotten in the room, though he would hazard a guess that the firewhiskey hadn't helped.

When they returned to the Common Room it was blissfully empty. Hermione walked them over to the big leather couch. "Want to talk about it? Slughorn is...such...he's just looking to ingratiate himself with people who will be able to give him stuff after school."

Theo nodded. He knew he shouldn't take the panning from Slughorn so personally. "I just hate that...something I didn't do...something my _father_ did, is reflecting negatively on me. I wasn't at the Ministry. I haven't done anything wrong. I get good grades. I just...want to be respected."

Hermione nodded. "I am sorry Theo." She said so softly. "People always assume the worst of us Slytherins. But just know...I'll never assume anything about you, just because of who your father is. I know who you are Theo."

Theo wrapped his arm around him and kissed her on the top of her head. Hermione always made him feel better.

She smiled up at him. "Will you come to Grimmauld Place to meet my father over break? I don't want you to be lonely at your house all by yourself."

Theo felt his throat tighten. Although he would love to see Hermione over break, he wasn't sure that he was ready to meet the infamous Sirius Black and tell him that he was dating his only daughter. The stories he'd heard about Hermione's father...

But one look at the bright smile on her face, and Theo was agreeing.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Thank you to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter! Huge shout out to all of my reviewers as well! You guys are so sweet and I am so glad you are enjoying this story as much as you are. You can follow me on tumblr, my handle is nauticalparamour.

I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, even if the meeting Sirius portion wasn't quite what you expected. Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-one and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-two soon!

* * *

Hermione was excited as ever to return to Grimmauld Place for the winter holidays as everything around Hogwarts hadn't been very cheerful. Things had gotten quite serious and there was already a line being drawn between the "good" students and the "bad" students. Slytherins were clearly bad, and Hermione just wanted to be cheerful for once.

Plus, she was really looking forward to her papa meeting Theo. When he'd picked her up from the train station, she'd told her papa that Theo would be coming over for tea over break to meet him, and it had caused quite the kerfuffle, but he'd agreed to it.

It _had_ spawned a rather awkward conversation her father had initiated that Hermione could only classify as an attempted sex talk. Her response that this was a little bit late to have the talk made her father's face turn a rather violent shade of red, before she quickly backtracked and told him that Narcissa had covered it years ago. Or, her little manual had rather. It ended with him awkwardly patting her on the back and requesting that she just be smart and careful.

She didn't know if or how she should prep Theo for it, as they hadn't done anything but kiss. Instead, she decided not to mention it when she sent him the invitation to come over for Boxing Day. Hermione needed things to go well. She wanted her papa to see that Theo wasn't a bad guy just because he was a Slytherin.

Before that meeting could take place, though, they were required at Malfoy Manor for Christmas Day celebrations. Hermione had been both dreading and anticipating it, as she hoped her father would see the change in Draco that she obviously had. Plus, she knew that Aunt Narcissa must feel awful being cooped up in that big house all alone.

Ever the graceful hostess, Narcissa invited them to the parlor which was dominated by a huge, ten foot Christmas tree, perfectly decorated, next to the huge fireplace. Draco was waiting there, looking paler than ever, and they all enjoyed some biscuits and cinnamon tea, a blend of Narcissa's own creation.

Despite everyone trying their hardest to seem like this was just a normal Christmas, things were obviously stilted. Draco showed no interest in his classes, leaving an awkward moment when Sirius asked about exams. In fact, Draco seemed miles away.

The four of them were called to the formal dining room for dinner, a beautiful feast prepared by the house elves, and Hermione stopped short to see a fifth place setting at the table. She should have known who it was, in retrospect, as her cousin was the only Death Eater who hadn't been caught at the Department of Mysteries.

Bellatrix strode into the dining room like a twister, her long black dress swirling around her legs, before throwing herself into the seat at the head of the table. Hermione looked at her with a curious thought. Did Narcissa resent her sister being free while her husband was trapped inside that awful prison?

Beside her, her papa had gone tight like a bow, and Hermione saw him draw his wand, the wood held tightly in his fist. Hermione squeezed his leg, knowing that they couldn't just leave dinner when Bellatrix showed up. They were supposed to be on her side, after all.

Still, it didn't stop Bellatrix from throwing teasing jibes at both Hermione and Sirius throughout the meal. Hermione hated that she was expected to just sit there and take it when Bellatrix inferred that her father was weak minded, or that Hermione should take any marriage contract she could get, seeing as she was already so _old_. "I've actually recently begun seeing Theodore Nott." She said meekly.

Narcissa's eyes nearly popped from her head, and then narrowed on her son. "Draco Lucius! You are meant to be your cousin's chaperone and you haven't even mentioned once that she was courting with someone." The blush on Draco's face seemed to indicate that he'd not even known it was official yet. He wasn't really aware of the goings on with Hermione's life, as he'd been avoiding her.

"Well, it can't be official since Alfred is in Azkaban." Bellatrix responded snidely, though looking at Hermione speculatively. "And Draco has probably been so busy working on his little...project. He knows how _important_ that it is that he be successful." Bellatrix said with an edge of warning to her nephew.

Hermione was at the edge of her seat, wanting to know what project Bellatrix had been talking about. Bellatrix turned her attention on Sirius and Hermione, her black eyes glittering. "You just wait cousin...soon the most Ancient and Noble House of Black will reclaim its glory and influence and the Dark Lord will help us get there."

Sirius's jaw tightened at the mention of the Dark Lord. Merlin, he wished that Bellatrix wasn't so casual about it. He could barely contain his rage at this woman, this woman who'd tortured two of his friends and fellow aurors. Luckily, dinner had ended, and he was able to make his excuses, ushering Hermione through the floo to return home.

Safe. For now.

* * *

Sirius left Grimmauld Place early on Boxing Day, knowing that he needed to speak to Dumbledore. He figured he could sneak into the castle, since most of it's occupants would be otherwise busy, and he hoped no one would think too much of his presence there. He visited Dumbledore sporadically, all under the guise of Wizengamot issues, but he didn't have time to make a fake appointment today.

He been kept up all night last night with thoughts of his cousin Bellatrix. He never wanted Hermione to be exposed to the insane woman, but unfortunately, they'd met anyway. There was no love lost between him and his cousin, and it lead him to imagining all kinds of horrible scenarios. When he could get some sleep, he'd woken up, sweat soaked and shaking from nightmares of Bellatrix crucio-ing Hermione for information, and he being able to do anything but stand by helplessly.

He found his way into the castle easily using the old tunnel from Honeydukes and then roaming the halls in his animagus form, before being forced to revert to a human to give the password. When he got to the stop of the stairs, Dumbledore didn't looked surprised to see him.

"Happy Christmas, Sirius." Dumbledore said congenially enough, but Sirius thought that he sounded a bit weak. Perhaps the old man had gotten up to a bit too much partying the night before. "What has brought you to my office today?"

Sirius threw himself into one of the big armchairs in front of Dumbledore's desk, trying to seem casual, though he could already feel his heart rate increase. Meeting his former Professor's eyes, Sirius noticed that his normally twinkling blue eyes were hardened. So he didn't beat around the bush. "I need some kind of assurance that Hermione will be protected, if the war is won."

" _When_ the war is won." Dumbledore insisted, but Sirius was already shaking his head and smiling in a way that belied his concern.

" _If_ the war is won. I already know that Hermione will be protected from revealing her secret by our unbreakable vow to the other side. No one should suspect her, even if my allegiances are called into question. She's placed herself in a good spot." Sirius said, almost fondly about Hermione cuddling up to the snakes in Slytherin house. "What I am worried about is...if something happens to me, or to you, I need some kind of assurance that Hermione will be accepted by the Order should she need help."

"It's good that you came, Sirius." Dumbledore said, before pulling the long purple sleeve back, revealing a severely blackened hand. "I was going to contact you anyway."

Sirius's shock was evident on his face. "Sir, what happened?" He asked, his hand tentatively reaching out to touch the burned skin, but recoiling before he could.

"I took on more than I could handle, I am afraid to say." Dumbledore replied grimly. "It's cursed, and it's spreading, and I won't live past the year." Dumbledore sighed, before looking at Fawkes perched in his cage. "Yes, I suppose that we do need a fail safe for you and Hermione, as I don't believe the war will be won by the time that I die."

Sirius had no idea what to say. His Headmaster, a man who seemed infallible and uncrushable, was dying. But even his sadness at the passing of a respected authority figure couldn't quash the anger that Sirius had felt towards the man during these last fifteen years. "What did you have in mind?"

Dumbledore smiled at him, a brief twinkle returning to his eyes. "How would you like to reconnect with one of your old friends?"

* * *

When Sirius returned home from Hogwarts, he was alerted to the sound of Hermione giggling in the parlor. Sirius found that a bit odd, seeing as she'd been so tense the night before, so he decided to enter the room to see what was up.

He saw his little girl sitting quite close to a tall, serious looking boy, both of them holding teacups. Seeing the way that she was angled towards the boy, or young man rather, it was clear that she was enchanted with him. Drat, he'd forgotten that the Nott boy was coming to visit today. He cleared his throat to make his presence known to the two teenagers.

"Oh, papa!" Hermione said. "Come join us. Kreacher has just served the tea." Hermione stood from her seat and began preparing a teacup for him, adding just the dash of cream that he preferred. Was it just him, or did she look like she'd just been snogging? Feeling his stomach lurch at the thought, he pushed it away.

Theo awkwardly stood, and offered his hand to Sirius. "Pleased to meet you, sir. My name's Theo Nott."

Sirius stared at the outstretched hand for a moment long enough to make Theo nervous before taking it in his own. The boy had a good, firm handshake, much to Sirius's surprise. "Nice to meet you as well. Please, call me Sirius." He desperately wanted to prank the boy somehow, in some way that would do an honor to the memory of the marauders, but he had a reputation to uphold. Not to mention, he didn't think Hermione would forgive him if he chased off this boy.

He sat down in the chair once introductions were made and narrowed his eyes at the amount of space between Hermione and the boy. He tried to think back to the times that he'd met some girl he was dating's father, so as to come up with an appropriate level of annoyance he should feel. Unfortunately, he couldn't really think of one time that he'd met a girl's parents.

"Well, Theo, where are you staying for the holidays?" Sirius broached the topic, since he'd heard that his father was currently locked up in Azkaban.

Theo seemed to shift awkwardly in his seat, before steeling himself. "I am staying at my ancestral home, Sirius, though it's just me this break. I became of age in October, so the Ministry cannot bar me from staying by myself while my father is incarcerated." The boy added that last bit with a hint of annoyance.

Sirius felt Hermione's eyes glowering at him, probably because he'd immediately launched into such a touchy topic. Still, the boy had done well with his answer, respectfully. "Well, I am glad that you were able to come here today so that your holidays weren't so lonely."

Hermione squeezed Theo's hand tightly. "Yes, it's a nice break from my own thoughts, but I don't really mind being on my own. I'm an only child, so I grew up with a lot of time to myself."

"And how did your midterm exams go? Hermione tells me that you share a lot of the same coursework." Sirius guided the conversation to a lighter topic. He did feel a bit badly for the boy being alone, but if he was content that was alright to Sirius.

"Oh, well, glad to have a break from the studying for a few weeks." Theo said with a sardonic smile. "But I think that they went quite well. I don't think that I'll ever be able to beat Hermione's scores, though I do try every year."

While talking to the boy, he could clearly see why Hermione was enamored with him. They were well suited to one another, and academics were clearly important to him. He was well read and quite witty, and Merlin - Sirius found himself actually liking the boy! He kept expecting him to pull out a manifesto on blood purity and pureblood superiority, but nothing even hinted that he held the beliefs.

Shaking his head, he knew that it must not be quite true. The boy was a born and bred Slytherin, but he was also well to-do. Blood purity wasn't exactly brought up in polite conversation, and certainly not on the first meeting of a potential father in law.

Sirius had been astonished to hear Theo regal him with a story of Draco making a fool of himself during pick up Quidditch - the boy didn't play for his house, but enjoyed being chaser in a pickup game. He'd actually laughed along. Hermione had rewarded him with a bright smile, clearly pleased by how well the meeting was going.

Things _had_ actually gone really well, until Kreacher came in to clear their tea service, and made things incredibly awkward for the trio. "Master Sirius, you must make sure young Nott is perfect for our little Miss. Oh, Mistress Walburga would be so pleased by such a fine match to a scion of a pureblood house."

Sirius had been shocked because it was the first time that Kreacher had spoken to him respectfully since he was a lad. Before he'd turned bad. "Well, Kreacher, Theo is just here for a visit, just to get to know him." Sirius offered weekly. Merlin, this was why he hated pureblood courtship.

Kreacher, unaccustomed to guests, walked over to Theo had picked up his arm, seeming to measure his wingspan. "Yes, he's a good strong man." Kreacher patted him on the arm. "He should be able to give the little Miss many heirs."

Hermione didn't think that her cheeks could be any redder. She had Theo had only gone on two dates, and here Kreacher was suggesting that they would have a gaggle of babies. "Kreacher." Hermione hissed. "That isn't really appropriate tea conversation."

The elderly house elf looked horrified to have offended his sweet little Miss, and began to hit himself on the head. "Oh, Kreacher has embarrassed little Miss." He wailed. "Kreacher will go iron his hands as punishment."

"That isn't necessary, Kreacher." Hermione said, stiffly. "I order you not to harm yourself." Kreacher looked like he might cry, but he nodded, and apparated out of the room to his space in the kitchen.

Theo patted her on the arm. "It's alright, I...my house elf is always looking out for the continuation of our line as well. It's just in their nature." He offered Sirius an awkward smile, but it faltered when he saw the rather dark look on Hermione's father's face. Perhaps he wasn't too keen on the idea of continuing the family line quite yet.

* * *

When she returned to Hogwarts, Hermione didn't waste any time in cornering Draco. She decided that she was going to get answers from him once and for all. She was horrified to think that he hadn't even realized that she was dating Theo. They shared a room, how could he not know?

She didn't blame him, as she was certain Aunt Narcissa had already tore into him for not being a chaperone and guarding her virtue. The thought made her shiver in disgust. Having Draco accompany her on dates was the absolute last thing that she wanted to do, even if Draco actually like Theo.

He was avoiding her, feigning prefect duties, which had Hermione scoffing. Honestly, he _never_ put this much effort into his prefect duties, and he often skipped out of his rounds early. Still, she could stay up as long as it took, and so when he left to go take care of his "rounds" Hermione settled herself in on the couch to wait.

Theo had given her a planner for Christmas, which was really quite practical, and Hermione was eager to put in her recitation for end of year exams anyway. If Draco took longer than that, she could just begin planning for NEWTs the next year.

Hermione rolled her neck, checking the clock. It was just after one AM, and she'd made it all the way through April, when Draco came back in the portrait hole. He immediately spotted her curly hair sitting on the couch, and scowled. "What are you doing up, Hermione?" He asked, knowing that he couldn't put off the inevitable any longer.

He came around the couch and sat next to his cousin. "I just fancied planning out my recitation schedule for exams." She said with a smile. "That, and I wanted to talk to you." She added, a bit more seriously.

Draco ran his hands through his downy blond hair, before resting his elbows on his knees, hunched forward, so that he wouldn't have to look at her. "Well, you've got me here, so what did you want to talk about?"

"Draco, you know what I want to talk about." She said seriously, concern evident on his face. "I heard what Bellatrix said about a project. Please tell me what it's about." She was practically pleading. Was it some task for the Death Eaters?

Her cousin wasn't moved by her concern, though, and instead he felt a rage building in him. Merlin, all he wanted was everyone off his back for once. Snape, his mother, his Aunt and now Hermione kept pestering him. Didn't they all know he was under enough stress as it was? "What's it to you?" He sneered at her, throwing her hand from his arm.

"I just thought...if you need help, or...I can help you Draco. If things get too heavy I can help." She felt tears beginning to form in her eyes at the statement. If she hadn't been positive already that Draco had changed in the past year, this was it. He never lashed out at her this way.

"I don't need your _help_ you bloody swot. Just keep making your little schedules and worry about _exams_ Hermione, and leave me the bloody hell alone." He stood from the couch, and stomped off to his room, not sparing her a second glance.

Sitting on the couch, Hermione did feel a tear trickle down her cheek. She wondered if Draco felt badly at all about the way he just treated her? Did he even understand how much he was hurting her? Although, she hadn't wanted to consider it, she now had no choice but to confront the facts, that Draco might very well be working for the Dark Lord.

* * *

Valentine's Day came on a Friday, so the students were all stuck inside the castle, unable to go to Hogsmeade on their dates. Hermione was excited as it was her first Valentine's day with an actual boyfriend, and Theo had been quite mysterious with his plans for them.

He asked her to meet him after classes, and had lead her up to the seventh floor, to the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls ballet, before walking back and forth in front of a bit of wall. Just when Hermione was about to ask Theo if _he'd_ gone barmy, she remembered why she knew this spot. "Isn't this the place that Potter and his friends were using for their little club?"

Just then, a door appeared and Theo opened it for her, which had been arranged in a cozy little dining room and a couch in front of a fireplace. Hermione gasped in absolute awe of the magic of the room. Theo smiled at her. "Yes, after I heard about it, I did some research. While it's known as the Come and Go Room, it's also known as the Room of Requirement. It will change into whatever you require, excepting Gamp's Laws of course."

Hermione looked to the table, which was set for two, where their dinner was waiting. "How did you get the food then?" She asked, intensely curious.

"I got my family's house elf to make it and bring it here." Theo said, thoughtfully holding her chair out for her. "I also had him bring us a bit of wine...well, we're both of age, and I figured this was a bit more romantic than the Great Hall."

Hermione nodded with a smile, looking at her boyfriend over the little votive candle on their table. The food was delicious, and they spent the dinner discussing their plans for after school. Hermione was surprised to hear that Theo wanted to be a cursebreaker, but would probably be groomed to take over his father's seat on the Wizengamot.

After dinner, with warmth from the wine running through their veins, they moved to the couch. Theo looked nervous, which, in turn made Hermione nervous. "I got you a present." He said, before pulling a small red box from his pocket. He shoved it into her hands, before focusing his eyes on her face, wanting to see her reaction.

Hermione opened the box with shaking fingers, but was pleased to find a silver necklace inside, with a woven knot dangling from the chain. She gasped. "Oh, Theo, it's gorgeous. Thank you. Help me put it on."

She pulled her hair out of the way and turned away from him so that he could secure the clasp in place. "It was my mother's." He said quietly, his voice sounding a bit thick.

Hermione turned to look at him, love in her eyes. She couldn't believe that he was sharing something with so much meaning with her. "I love it. I'll wear it everyday." She told him, knowing how special his mother was to him.

The silence stretched between them, but Theo soon closed the gap between them, in a heated kiss. Hermione sighed into the kiss, thinking that she might never get sick of kissing Theo. She quickly parted her mouth, her tongue tentatively searching for his, only parry and tangle with him. It was a passionate dance, each of them taking the lead.

She felt Theo's hands trailing from her shoulders down her body to her chest, and Hermione felt a heat blossom in her center. Was he going to? Yes, he tentatively moved to cup her breast, thumbs moving across her nipple, which tightened under the attention. Hermione was embarrassed to hear herself moaning, but Theo returned it with a groan.

So, she was affecting him just as much as she was. She let her own hands move from his shoulders to slide under the fabric collar of his shirt, just wanting to feel bare skin.

He pinched her hard nipple, and Hermione keened against him, pressing herself against him more firmly. Merlin, she wanted, no, she needed nothing between them. While her mind was swirling with thoughts of how to get his shirt off, Theo was pulling back gently breaking their kiss.

His cheeks were flushed and his breathing was shallow. He awkwardly adjusted his uniform pants, leading Hermione to bite her lip. Had she aroused him that much? What did _it_ look like? Would be let her see?

Instead, he ran his hand through his hair, trying to tidy it a bit. "I...sorry, I got carried away there. Things got a bit heated."

Hermione nodded, but knew it was right to take things slow. Her relationship with Theo was so new, and she'd never done anything of the sort before. Even if she was curious, that didn't necessarily mean she should jump feet first into it. "Yeah...I did, I liked it though." She told him.

Theo's blush intensified, but he couldn't stop a smug smile from forming on his face. "Well, let's get back to the Common Room. It's nearly curfew and I don't fancy Draco sending a search party for you."

Hermione nodded, and took him by the hand, leading him back to the Slytherin Common Room.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I hope you all had a fabulous holiday if you are in the US! Thank you to everyone who favorited/followed after last chapter. Huge thank you to all of the reviewers! You can follow me on tumblr, nauticalparamour, where I sometimes post sneak previews of chapters and I will try to do more guest/anonymous reviewer responses there! Also, I will be posting a Harry/Hermione oneshot later this week, so I would love it if you'd check that out!

So, here is chapter twenty-two! Please let me know what you think - I think most of you will be glad as Hermione finally has to face the facts about Draco - and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-three soon!

* * *

The castle had been abuzz when the news that one of it's students had been poisoned had swept through dormitories and classrooms alike. It hadn't even taken half a day for everyone to know that Ronald Weasley was in the hospital wing, recovering. Hermione was a little bit gleeful that it was him, a continual thorn in her side.

Then, she would wonder if maybe it was _wrong_ to be so excited that one of her classmates had been seriously ill. Perhaps she _was_ spending too much time with the Slytherins. Then she'd remember her papa had quite the mean streak as well, and brush it away.

When Tracey slid into her usual spot across from Daphne at dinner, her cheeks were flushed with excitement. Hermione was glad to see her friend looking much better than she had in weeks, so that meant she either had some really juicy gossip or someone had broken up. Or both.

"Well, what did you find out?" Daphne urged. Everyone wanted to know the details of what had happened.

"Well, Mandy Brocklehurst heard from Cho, who heard from Susan Bones, who heard from Zacharias Smith, who heard it from Hannah Abbott, who was told directly by Longbottom." Tracey started before taking a deep breath. Hermione had some trouble believing the veracity of knowledge that had passed through that many people, but she was still on the edge of her seat. "That Weasley was slipped a love potion."

"Ew, who would want Weasley that badly?" Hermione sneered, before shuddering. She couldn't imagine wanting that red haired oaf to touch her so much that she'd resort to love potions. She bet that he had sweaty hands.

"Well, it wasn't _for_ Weasley." Tracey explained, playing with the end of her plait. "It was supposed to be for Harry Potter, but Weasley ate it instead. Romilda Vane."

"That horrid girl!" Daphne gasped. The younger girl was always acting like she owned the castle, strutting around and trying to steal other people's boyfriends. "I am almost impressed that she had the potions skills to brew a love potion." Daphne snarked. Honestly, if Daphne thought you were bad at potions, you were really bad at potions.

"She probably bought one. Weasley's older brothers sell them at their little shop." Hermione said airily, letting her eyes drift to the Gryffindor table. "That would be ironic, no?"

"Well, anyways, Harry Potter saved him, gave him a bezzle, or something like that. And when he was in the hospital wing, that bint Brown went to visit him, and instead of asking for her, he asked for Longbottom!" Tracey giggled maliciously.

Well, Hermione thought triumphantly, she figured that she was right on both counts about Tracey's mood.

"They've broken up, and now Brown has been asking Finnigan and Thomas if Weasley and Longbottom are up to anything in the boys' dorms." Tracey finished, gleefully.

"Oh, so _that's_ why she's trying to melt Longbottom's brain with her glare." Daphne said. "Well, if I never have to see them snogging in the Great Hall again, I am more than okay with a little poisoning. Do you think that Longbottom and Weasley are together like that?"

"Definitely not Longbottom." Hermione said confidently, remembering the time that he'd tried to kiss her in the library. Though, she supposed that he could like boys and girls. Seeing Daphne and Tracey looking at her shocked, she quickly clarified so that it didn't look like she had personal experience with Longbottom. "Isn't he dating Hannah Abbott? I saw them snogging pretty fiercely at the last Hogsmeade."

The two girls seemed to be content with her answer and dissipated into a round of saying mean things about Weasley, Brown and Vane, which Hermione found easy to tune out. It seemed odd to her that Weasley would _still_ be in the hospital wing for just ingesting a love potion, but maybe it was improperly brewed. And why would Potter have needed to use a bezoar - she assumed that's what Tracey had heard - to help him? That was only for serious poisonings, and it wasn't the correct antidote to a love potion.

Potter was making her worried. Just how was it that he was getting so good at Potions when he'd been so consistently shite five years before? Well, not shite, more like solidly mediocre. How did he even think of a bezoar? It was kind of a catchall for poisons, so Hermione supposed it shouldn't be too surprising, but she hadn't seen Potter pick up a book except for his class books in the last five years.

Even now, he had his nose buried in his potions manual. Hermione narrowed her eyes on the messy haired boy. He was cheating _somehow_. She just knew it.

* * *

If her father hadn't told her to sneak out of the castle on that blasted mirror, if she hadn't seen his face looking at her, she never would have been crawling through this tunnel on her way to the cellar of Honeyduke's. It reeked of a trap or a trick, but she trusted her father, and...

...and that would mean that someone had discovered who she really was, and that just didn't seem likely. She hadn't given a hint or a whisper. She couldn't, even, with the unbreakable vow that she'd taken with her papa.

After getting to Honeyduke's, and disabling the security wards to leave (the shop wasn't open at this time of night), she was instructed to go to the Three Broomsticks and wait for her father at the back booth by the fireplace. Still, she didn't want anyone to notice her, so she pulled her cloak around her tightly, and pulled her hood over the top half of her face. At least her hair would be unnoticeable.

Hermione was pleased when she didn't have to wait long for her papa to show up. "What's going on papa?" She asked in a low voice.

Sirius shook his head, before leading her up the stairs to where the rented rooms were. He already had a key, and put it into the last door at the end of the hall. He pushed the door open, ushering her inside, before looking behind him to make sure that no one had seen them.

Seeing that the room was already occupied, Hermione gasped to see the familiar form of Professor Lupin. He looked much the same that he did three years ago, but he looked as surprised as she did to see them. His eyebrows knitted together, before a broad grin spread over his face. "You're the sleeper cell?" He asked Sirius eagerly.

Her papa looked so happy that it hurt Hermione to see, to know that he hadn't been this happy in years, maybe even as long as she could remember. The two men quickly joined each other in a hug, slapping each other on the back. "Albus didn't tell me who to expect, but I'd hoped..." Professor Lupin said, before pulling away, looking at Hermione. "And...Hermione?" He asked.

"Yes, my daughter." Sirius told him proudly, wrapping an arm around Hermione and pulling her close to his side. "She's been working inside Hogwarts...given Harry a lot of support, even if he doesn't know it yet." Hermione preened under such praise from her papa. She just wanted him to be proud of her.

"And her mother?" Professor Lupin asked curiously, staring at Hermione's face, trying to puzzle out just who she was.

Hermione's stomach clenched, thinking that her papa might tell Professor Lupin that she wasn't his real daughter, but instead, he gave a small, melancholy smile. "Marlene." He said solemnly.

Something seemed to click in Professor Lupin's face then, as if he could finally place where he knew her face from. "I had no idea Sirius. But, she really does look so much like Marlene, I can't believe that I didn't place it before." Remus's green eyes roved over her features, looking for pieces that belonged to either parent.

"She didn't tell me either. We'd just broken up before she went into hiding." Sirius told him with an embarrassed look on his face, but hoped that Remus wouldn't press the issue any further. "Hermione, I'd like to formally introduce you to Remus Lupin, one of my best mates from Hogwarts."

"It's good to see you again, Professor Lupin." Hermione said, a hint of a blush on her cheeks. The last time she'd seen him, she'd accused him of trying to murder Harry Potter and then he'd nearly attacked them in werewolf form. Not to mention that she'd had a massive crush on him!

"I'm not your Professor any more, Hermione. You may call me Remus." He offered, in a kind tone of voice, but she noticed that he still talked to her as though she were a child. It made her bristle a bit.

After introductions were made, her papa explained to her that Remus was to be their contact if anything were to happen to Headmaster Dumbledore or to Sirius himself. Hermione wanted to protest, but her papa gave her a firm smile and told her that it was just a fail safe. He was only to be contacted if the other two couldn't be. The less who knew about them the better.

Before long, though, it was time for Hermione to return to Hogwarts, and so she lead their little trail down the stairs, only to be shocked from her musings by the one voice she didn't want to hear. "Just what on Earth are you doing here Miss Black?" Her Head of House demanded to know.

Hermione waffled, hoping that Professor Snape wouldn't notice Remus Lupin coming down the stairs behind her. She and her father had absolutely no reason to be seen with a known Order member. Her heart pounded so loud in her chest, she was sure that Professor Snape was going to notice.

Luckily, Snape's loud question had alerted Remus and he was hidden from sight. Her papa placed his hand on her shoulder and answered for her. "Sorry about that Snape." He said, clearly pained at using his family name. "I asked Hermione to meet me here to discuss something."

"Discuss what?" Professor Snape asked, regarding them with open suspicion, his black fathomless eyes trained on Sirius.

"It's a family matter Snape. Keep your abnormally large nose out of it." He sneered. "Come on, Hermione, I will make sure that you get back to the castle alright."

Hermione smiled weakly when they brushed past her Head of House, hoping that he didn't give her a punishment for being out of bounds. When father and daughter were outside in the cold, Sirius let go a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "That was close." He didn't even want to think about what would have happened if Snape saw them with Remus. Sirius was sure he would have gone running to Voldemort immediately.

She grinned up at her papa. "One of these days, you really are going to need to explain the animosity with Professor Snape."

* * *

Hermione's week had gone from bad to worse. Professor Snape had given her detention for being out of bounds, and took twenty house points, though she suspected that he was taking them more from her papa than from her. Then, she'd only gotten an E on a Charms essay that she was sure she'd aced. On top of that, in potions, Harry Potter had completed a rather complex potion in two thirds the recommended time, so she just knew that he was deviating from the instructions.

She'd just wanted some peace and quiet during her free period, and so she'd taken a long walk on the fourth floor, which was usually empty this time of day. That was why, being pulled into an abandoned classroom had been so surprising, and she'd grabbed her wand and jabbed it under the chin of the attacker in the blink of an eye.

Looking at who it was who thought to manhandle her that way, she was surprised to see blond hair and Gryffindor tie. "McLaggen?" She asked, surprised, before tentatively lowering her wand. She was sure that she didn't need to curse him.

"I want in Hermione." He said, his voice practically purring her name. She was a bit annoyed, thinking that she hadn't ever given him permission to use her given name, and she detested the way that he looked her up and down.

"In on what McLaggen?" She asked, clearly confused as to what he was saying.

He rolled his eyes at her, before pushing a lock of hair from her face. Hermione flinched. "You know the dark side, the Death Eaters and all that."

Hermione took a step back from him, looking intently at him to see if he'd had any recent head trauma. "And just what makes you think that I can give you an in?" She demanded, using her most haughty tone.

"Come on, Black." He used her surname this time. "Everyone knows your family is well versed in the dark arts and well situated...your uncle, your cousin, hell, even your father has been advancing the pureblood cause in the wizengamot."

Hermione swallowed thickly. McLaggen continued, in that low voice of his. "Is that what it takes for a shot with you? Being a Death Eater's kid or being tangled up in the dark arts?" He leaned forward like he was going to kiss her.

Hermione took another step away. "Well, I have to admit that I've always found the dark arts to be...seductive." She said, trying to stay a bit breathless. Her eyes snapped to his face. "I will pass along your interest, but don't you ever contact me like this again, understand?" She hissed, jabbing her wand under his chin again, hoping that he would take the hint.

She turned then, leaving him alone and confused in the empty classroom. Hermione bit her lip. She had absolutely no idea what to do about this little situation.

* * *

At dinner, Theo could tell that something wasn't right with Hermione. He knew she'd had a bad week, but she was particularly sullen this evening. He leaned in to her ear and whispered quietly so no one else would hear. "Is everything alright?" When Hermione shrugged her shoulders, Theo sighed. "Want to go to the Room of Requirement to talk?"

Hermione bit her lip, considering her options. She didn't know who to tell about McLaggen's request, but she figured her boyfriend was probably a good option. He obviously would want to hear about someone else coming onto her, and he had always given her good advice. He wasn't likely to fly off the handle like Draco would.

Agreeing, Hermione stood from the table and took Theo by the hand. Draco was too absorbed with his dinner to notice them leaving together to Hermione's relief. She didn't need him sticking his nose in her business now that he was aware of her romantic entanglements.

She was the one who paced in front of the door, wanting someplace comforting, but she was surprised to see a bedroom had appeared when she opened the door. Hermione gasped, and turned, noticing Theo's slightly pink cheeks. "Sorry, this is my bedroom, at our home in France. I was just trying to think of some place comforting."

Hermione led him by the hand to the window seat that appeared on the edge of the room. The view was perfect, the Mediterranean Sea glimmering in the distance, but the sound and smell of the salt water just didn't exist, leaving Hermione a bit disappointed. "McLaggen cornered me this morning." She said glumly.

Theo immediately stiffened at her words. He knew that the seventh year Gryffindor had set his sights on Hermione. He hoped that McLaggen hadn't done anything untoward her. "What did he want?" Theo bit out, surprised by the icy tone of voice, one he'd heard his father use several times.

"He wanted to...express his interest in joining the Dark Lord." Hermione practically whispered, her eyes down in her lap. She and Theo had never discussed Voldemort being back or where he might stand on that issue, but she just assumed he saw it as a good thing because of his father.

"Why would he ask you?" Theo asked, thoroughly perplexed. "There are four of us with parents in Azkaban for being confirmed Death Eaters." It made logical sense that he would want to approach one of them instead.

Hermione was surprised that Theo just openly and plainly said it like that. Usually, talking about his father made him a bit tetchy. "I think he thought, it would impress me. That I might want him if he was into the dark arts." She said, cheeks blazing. She couldn't believe that she had cultivated such a reputation fo herself.

Theo scoffed then. "Well, don't tell anyone then. He isn't serious about it, if he's just doing it for a girl's attention. That would reflect poorly on whoever brought him in for consideration."

Hermione nodded, shifting uncomfortably. Theo seemed to intimate that he had considered the reasons for joining the Death Eaters, and it made her nervous. She met his light green eyes, and was surprised to see a bit of insecurity in them. She softened. "You know that...your father has nothing to do with why I'm dating you, right? I really like _you,_ Theo." She told him, wanting to be sincere.

Theo considered it for a moment, before being quite convinced that she was telling the truth. Just then, she had a rather mischievous thought that crossed her mind. Giving him an impish grin, she pulled his hand, tugging him towards the bed, not resting until they were both resting against the pillows.

He thought he's heart might burst from his chest when she pearched herself astride of him, and began to kiss him. Sure, he'd dreamed that something like this might happen, but never in his wildest dreams had he thought it would actually happen. Her kisses were fervent and sweet, and he was reminded that she was still very knew to the whole kissing thing.

He still couldn't stop his body from responding to her breathy little moans though, when he let his fingers trace the bare skin of her stomach under her oxford. Taking her cues to keep going, he pushed her bra up over her breasts only to palm the soft globes he found hidden underneath. Merlin, she felt like cashmere.

Her nipples were hard points against his palms, and he couldn't help but gently pinch and circle each little peak. Hermione seemed to enjoy it to, because she rewarded him with a little squeal and her hips unconciously thrust against him. Merlin, he wanted to see what she looked like bare to him. He'd dreamed about it often enough.

Tiny hands working at the buckle of his pants had Theo suddenly pulling away from her lips and breasts, using his hands to halt her progress. "Hermione, we can't." He said desperately. Merlin he wanted to, but he couldn't. "I don't want to jeopordize your future." It was bad enough that he couldn't properly court her, he couldn't ruin her reputation with a silly mistake either. He could wait.

Hermione wanted to roll her eyes again at the thought of her pesky virtue getting in the way once again. Instead she smiled. "It's okay, Theo, I've recently heard it from a reliable source that there are things we can do without jeopordizing...anything." She said mischievously. "I just want to...try and make you feel good." She bit her lip to stop from giving away more. Honestly, she was dying to know what he looked like...what a...cock looked like. Merlin, that sounded vulgar, but that's always what Tracey called a boy's bits.

Theo searched her face for any hint of hesitation, and finding nothing, released her greedy fingers. She quickly finished getting his trousers open, and he helped her pull them down, along with his boxers. Honestly, it didn't look much like what she expected. It was a lot redder than she would have imagined.

Tentatively, she wrapped her hand around it, and was surprised by how hard it was, but how incredibly soft the skin felt against her hand. Hearing Theo hiss, she looked at him, and saw his face twisted in pleasure, his green eyes starting at her face as though he was trying to commit this moment to memory.

Hermione giggled, moving her hand, excited that she could make Theo feel this way. She delighted in each and every gasp that she pulled from him, knowing that he was usually so quiet and not very emotive. It made her feel powerful, and excited. She studied his face to learn what he liked best, and well, she was a very quick study. She remembered that Daphne said she'd done this, but with her mouth. She wondered what it might be like to do that to Theo, but he'd already been reluctant enough that she was hesitant to try. She was sure they' d have more opportunities in the future.

When the muscles in his legs tensed and he gave her the loudest groan yet, he came, her name on his lips and his essence spilling on his bare stomach and her hand, Hermione knew this was something she'd commit to memory as well.

* * *

Hermione was shocked to have been woken up by Professor Snape standing over her bed in the pitch dark. Her head of house had never been in the girls' dorms as far as she knew, and she wouldn't have believed it was him if she hadn't heard his distinct voice.

He was shaking her on the shoulder. "Miss Black, you must wake up." He hissed insistently, so as not to wake any of her roommates.

Hermione grabbed his arm so that he'd know she was up. "What is it? What's happened?" She felt dread settle in her belly. Something terrible had happened, she just knew it.

"We need to go to the hospital wing." Snape said, urgently. "Your cousin was attacked."

That had Hermione up from her bed in a flash, grabbing a long robe to wear to the hospital wing, slippers on her feet. When they arrived in the hospital wing, she found Draco behind a curtain, lying in bed. She felt tears in her eyes, seeing him lying there, so helpless.

He looked so incredbily pale, paler than she'd ever seen him, and she understood that he'd lost a lot of blood. "Draco." She croaked out, seeing his guilty looking silver eyes in the moonlight. "What happened to you?" She asked, but he knew that it was a rhetorical question. She'd known a long time that he'd gotten himself mixed up with the Death Eaters, but she hadn't wanted to believe it.

She sat down on the edge of his bed, grabbing his arm firmly in her hand. Draco tried to wrench it away from her, but Hermione wouldn't let go. The fight left him.

With shaking fingers, she undid the buttons on his cuff and slowly began rolling the white fabric up his arm. It didn't take long for the black ink to peak out from the shirt, and Hermione wasn't even surprised. There, plain as day on her cousin's arm, was the Dark Mark.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who favorited and followed after last chapter - 300 follows! That's so wonderful! Also, thank you to all of the reviewers! Over 600 reviews - thank you all so much for the support! This is the longest story I've ever written, but it now also has the most chapters I've ever written, and we still have a bit left to go!

Some of you want Hermione to turn dark, but remember that her biological parents were murdered by Death Eaters. She won't forget that. Plus it would crush her papa, who she cared about the most. This is the last chapter of year six. Year Seven is gonna be crazy, since it's mostly written from scratch.

I would love to know what you thought of chapter twenty-three, so please let me know! And be on the lookout for chapter twenty-four soon!

P.S. Posted a Harmony one-shot yesterday - I would love it if you checked it out!

* * *

Hermione felt silly crying in front of Draco like this, especially when he was the one who'd suffered bodily harm. She'd had the suspicion that he was a marked Death Eater for a while now, but she hadn't wanted to believe that her cousin would have gone through with it. "Why would you do this Draco?" She asked him, a hiccup in her voice.

Draco looked ashamed to be caught with the horrid tattoo on his arm. Maybe there was hope for him yet, Hermione prayed silently, grabbing his cold hand tightly in hers. "I didn't want to...but, with father in Azkaban, I had to. Please, Hermione you have to believe me." He whispered quietly. "They said they'd kill me and mother if I didn't."

It felt like a vice was on her heart, squeezing it tightly at his words. She knew that Draco wouldn't want to be a Death Eater. Sure, he constantly talked about purebloods being better than muggleborns, but Death Eaters were murderers. But perhaps with Lucius as a father, he'd longed to follow in his father's footsteps? It felt like she didn't even know her cousin any more.

She was crying a bit harder now, and wiped the tears from her eyes, nodding to him. She couldn't put anything into words right now, or she might say something she regretted. He squeezed her hand, and Hermione looked into his mercurial eyes. He looked...scared.

"Draco, please tell me what project Bella was talking about over Christmas." She begged. He immediately stiffened against her. "Please, I can help you. I can't have anything else happen to you." She told him, knowing that in actuality she would do everything to stop it.

Draco sighed, his eyes closed tightly as if to make her go away, but she was still there when he refocused his eyes on her. "They've asked me...I've been told that I must find a way to get the Death Eaters into the castle. Undetected."

Hermione bit her lip, instantly thinking of the tunnels into Hogsmeade. Had he found those yet? "I will start looking, Draco. There are old maps, long forgotten, in the library. I promise that you don't have to do this alone." She knew that it wasn't proper, but she crawled up the bed so that she could wrap her arms around him. Draco was as close as a brother to her, and she'd almost lost him. He relaxed into her embrace. "Professor Snape told me you almost died. What happened?" She wondered if it was something to do with the Death Eaters?

Draco nodded against her, and Hermione thought that she heard a sniffle from him as well. Was Draco crying? If Hermione had to hazard a guess, she thought that this might be the first time he was getting any real affection in years. He was just a boy and he needed someone to confide in for once. "Yes, I was attacked in the lavatories." He told her, his voice stiff.

She shuddered, thinking of how awful that must have been. "Who was it?" She asked, the urge to get revenge for her family beginning to brim up in her. Even though Draco was fighting for the wrong side in this war didn't mean that he wasn't important to her.

"It was Potter. He used a curse on me, one I'd never heard of before." Draco said, a grumble in his voice for needing to admit that. He hated to let anyone know that he was less than perfect. "Professor Snape knew the counter curse though, and he told me if he hadn't been in the right spot, I probably would have bled out."

Hermione tightened her arms around him. It was all she could do to not gasp at the thought that Harry Potter had used such a dark curse on her cousin. Wasn't he supposed to be the champion of the light or something like that? She put so much effort into helping that speckled git and then he would turn around and do this? She felt rage, hot and uncontrollable bubbling up in her heart, knowing that Potter could do something so despicable even though he was a precious _Gryffindor_ who could do no wrong in the eyes of the teachers.

"I am so glad you are okay." She whispered, not wanting to return to her dormitory yet. "What is going to happen to Potter?" She asked, tentatively, wondering what punishment would be doled out. If he'd been in Slytherin, he would have been expelled.

"Nothing." Draco told her, a bit bitterly.

Hermione sat up roughly. "What do you mean nothing? He almost killed you!" It wasn't right for Potter to get away with something like this, even if Draco was a Death Eater. She would even go to Headmaster Dumbledore to make sure action was taken.

"Just leave it Hermione, it's not worth it." Draco said. "The school year's almost over, and well, I just have other things on my mind than Potter." He told her seriously, firmly.

Reminded of his task, Hermione stood up from the bed. She had gone through so many emotions today, that she didn't know what to think or how to feel. She was furious with Potter, but worried for Draco. Still, she couldn't discount the fact that Draco was going to have to do something awful. "Alright. I will...restrain myself." She conceeded. "You should get some rest. I will visit again tomorrow."

* * *

Despite it's urgency, Hermione waited until the next morning to call her papa on the mirror. She was worried that he wouldn't answer her in the middle of the night, and she had to think over the best way to tell him what she knew.

Her papa was surprised to see her before classes had started, but he'd answered the mirror promptly. By her red rimmed eyes, he could immediately tell that something was wrong. "What's happened?" He asked, concerned for the safety of his daughter.

She didn't want to, but Hermione felt a fresh round of tears form in her eyes. She just wanted her papa to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be alright, but she knew that was wishful thinking. Hermione didn't know if everything _would_ be alright. Everything had changed. "Draco was almost killed yesterday." She told him.

"What? How? Is he alright?" Sirius asked. He didn't really like the boy, but he did feel some familial concern for him. Plus, the idea that Draco could be almost killed meant that Hermione could as well.

Hermione took a sobering breath. She knew her papa wasn't going to like to hear this at all. "It was...it was Potter. He cursed Draco in the lavatories, and if Professor Snape didn't have the counter curse he would have died." She knew that it would crush her papa to learn the truth about Potter, to learn that even Gryffindors could be despicable.

"He's lying." Sirius said, not wanting to believe that his godson could have done something like that. Harry was, surely, a good kid. But then, Sirius remembered that _he_ had once almost killed a fellow student as well, when he tricked Snape into going to the Shrieking Shack during the full moon.

"Draco wouldn't lie to me." Hermione insisted. "He has no reason to." She could tell her papa was slowly coming around to her belief, but she knew that wasn't the biggest bit of news that she needed to share with him. "That's not all." She said quietly. "Draco is a Death Eater. I saw his mark and everything."

She saw her papa visibly exhale. He probably found it just as hard to bare to know that another of his cousins was marked by that madman. He didn't want to believe that someone so young could be marked, but then again, his own brother had been too.

"He didn't want to." Hermione added, wanting her father to believe that Draco was still a good person at heart. "He had to because...because Uncle Lucius is in Azkaban. But he told me what his task is, what Bellatrix was talking about during the holidays. He's been instructed to bring the Death Eaters into Hogwarts." She told him, wanting to make sure he understood her words.

"He'll never accomplish that." Sirius said, confidently. "Hogwarts is the best guarded place in all of Britain." Excepting, of course, maybe Grimmauld Place. His father had always been a bit paranoid and made sure to have the strongest wards up - old wards, blood wards, and of course, the Fidelus Charm.

"Papa, you know about the secret passages in Hogwarts." She tried not to whine, but it was imperative that he knew the severity of this issue. Who knew what would happen the Death Eaters were able to get in. "If you were able to find them as a student, it's only a matter of time before Draco discovers them. He might already know about them." She spoke with confidence and urgency, needing those to get closed.

"I, of course... of course you are right." Sirius said, his eyebrows knitted together. How long had it been since he was just a third year, exploring the castle with James and Remus? "I will tell Dumbledore about them today, see if we can't get them sealed." He promised.

Hermione sagged in relief. "Thank you papa. This is the first time that we can really make a difference." She felt hope and joy begin to replace the anger and loathing in her heart.

"Please be careful, Hermione. It might be time to start distancing yourself from Draco." Sirius cautioned. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if she was hurt by Death Eaters in the castle or getting mixed up trying to help Draco.

"No way!" Hermione practically yelled at her papa. "Draco needs my support more than ever. I don't think he's ever looked so despondent. Nothing interests him anymore. And even if he didn't need me, just look at how much this information is going to help us." She felt like her being at Hogwarts, with the Slytherins, hadn't made any difference so far. She hadn't been able to get any real intelligence until now.

Sirius could agree with her logic. Any bit of assistance would mean that they were making a difference, and in a time that he had been feeling utterly hopeless, he knew this was a way to get things moving. He just hoped that history wouldn't judge them unfairly for consorting with the wrong sort of people.

He knew that Hermione thought that Draco was just a misguided boy, but he wasn't so convinced. The Malfoys had a reputation for being dark long before Voldemort came around, and they'd been involved with his cause since Lucius's father was at school. He would trust her instincts though. He hadn't done that enough in the last years, and at great cost.

Wishing his daughter a good rest of the day, he ended their mirror connection and decided to leave that day to talk to Dumbledore about the passageways. He just hoped that the Headmaster didn't scold him for keeping them a secret for so long.

* * *

The day that Headmaster Dumbledore died, Hermione knew that something was going to go wrong. A niggling in her stomach had started after breakfast, and she tried to stay close to Draco, wanting to appear as helpful as possible. The tunnels had been closed for two weeks now, and if it had caused any issues in his plans, Draco didn't tell her. He didn't tell her much of anything.

Still, she was pulled away from her cousin by Theo after dinner. Hermione knew that she'd been neglecting her boyfriend since Draco's attack, and while he understood that she was concerned about him, that didn't mean that he wouldn't take any time alone with Hermione he could get.

After they spent some time in the library, Hermione had asked Theo to go for a walk, feeling restlessness creep into her bones. It was dark out, but not quite time for curfew yet. It wasn't until they made their way up to the seventh floor - completely on a whim - that Hermione caught the sound.

She squeezed Theo's hand. "Does that...sound like dueling to you?" She asked. Who would be dueling at this time of night, when the prefects were known to wander about? She wondered, the hair on her arms turning to goosebumps.

Theo didn't have to answer when a hulking blond man rounded the corner, firing spells at a woman that they didn't recognize. Fear instantly took over, and Theo pulled her back, wanting to keep her safe from the fighting. Clearly, Death Eaters had gotten into the castle.

"No, we need to help Draco." She whined, tugging against his hand. She didn't know what would happen if her cousin died. He clearly had succeeded in his task, though Hermione had no idea how. She was a bit annoyed that he hadn't kept her counsel.

Theo, sensing that they were in the line of fire, pulled Hermione back into an alcove, her body flush against his, and his hand over her mouth. "Look." He whispered into her ear.

Just then, Professor Snape swooped by, his black coat billowing, holding Draco by the collar, dragging him really. Hermione could clearly tell that Draco had been crying, but now he just looked tired. She struggled to get to him, but Theo held her tightly against him. "No!" He whispered.

They stood there until the last of the curses could be heard and footsteps no longer echoed through the halls. Hermione had sagged against him, unable to hold herself up. It didn't take much convincing to get her to come back to the Common Room with him.

The following morning, the truth of what had happened trickled out. Headmaster Dumbledore was dead. He'd been killed by Professor Snape and Harry Potter had witnessed it. Draco let the Death Eaters in, but the Order of the Phoenix - some secret society - was waiting for them.

Draco had left the castle with the rest of the Death Eaters.

When the school assembled for the memorial for Headmaster Dumbledore, Hermione barely could keep the tears from her face. She knew it was selfish, but her position in the wizarding world, with her papa, was more tenuous than ever. Their cause seemed helpless now. What was going to happen to them now? Would she be forced to continue living as a fraud forever?

It was nice to have Theo to lean on. He, perhaps, could not understand the depth of her emotion for a Headmaster that had never done her any favors, but he stood by her, unwavering, and helped her back to the castle when it was over.

She wasn't expecting Potter to confront her, but she was glad that Theo was by her side then. She didn't know what she would have done or said if he hadn't been there. "How dare you stand there and cry over a _great_ man when it's your cousin who put him there?" He groused, his eyes vicious.

Hermione was confused, surprised that Potter would even deign to speak with her. "What?" She asked. Snape had killed the Headmaster.

"Yeah, Malfoy's been trying to kill Headmaster Dumbledore all year." Hermione felt her vision spinning. Was that possible? Had that been Draco's task? "But he was too much of a coward to say the spell, even when he'd disarmed him."

Her wand was out before she knew it, sending Potter sprawling. The stinging hex immediately made his face swell. She wanted to scream to everyone in the courtyard that _Potter_ had tried to kill Draco! How dare he talk about her cousin when Potter was just as guilty as Draco was! Hermione's eyes widened. It just gave her more hope that Draco _hadn't_ wanted this, that Draco wasn't guilty. But maybe...the thought that he'd been planning _murder_ for a whole year...her knees were giving out. Theo held her up, protecting her. "Piss off Potter. Go take your anger out on someone who deserves it."

Potter just sneered down at Hermione, her wild hair hiding her face, before turning and walking away. Hermione was vaguely aware of Theo helping her back to the Common Room.

* * *

When they got back to the dungeons, Hermione had thanked Theo for being there for her, but she told him she needed some time alone. She had so many emotions running around in her brain, it was too much to even attempt to be around another person.

Potter's words brought back two incidents that she'd overlooked at the time, and she felt sick to think that Draco might have been responsible for them. Katie Bell had been cursed, she was trying to take a necklace to the castle. Weasley had been poisoned, but even Hermione had questioned whether a simple love potion could cause that kind of reaction.

She knew then, that was Potter said, it was all true. It was Draco's doing. Hermione felt bile rise up in her throat, and she ran to the bathroom, and suddenly she was retching. Once she'd thrown up everything that she had, she rested her head on the cool white porcelain of the toilet, wanting to clear her head.

If Potter was to believed, though, she could believe that Draco hadn't wanted to go through with killing the Headmaster, afterall. His attempts were comically feeble, and if he'd truly disarmed the Headmaster, and not been able to cast the Killing Curse...you needed a certain amount of intent to achieve it.

Draco hadn't wanted to partake in this little project, as Bellatrix had called it. But, Hermione also felt horrid that he hadn't told her the truth of it. Or, he'd only shared a half truth with her. Her she thought that she'd accomplished so much good...

Now she just felt like a big failure.

* * *

Hermione had never been so excited to see Grimmauld Place, but being home with her papa just made her feel safe, and took away some of the hurt and pain that she'd been feeling in the days after the Headmaster had died.

Her papa was obviously conflicted about Dumbledore's death. It was hard to not be angry at the man who had manipulated him into the position he was in now, using his grief over James and Lily. But of course, he'd also been given Hermione by Dumbledore, and he couldn't imagine a life without her in it.

The first night back, she cried on his chest in the library, telling him what an awful failure she felt like, but her papa just scowled, and told her she was the furthest thing from a failure. She'd gotten some information from Draco and that was more than anyone else. Also, the school never had an official announcement about either of the other events, so how on earth was she to know what was accurate and what was conjecture.

When he'd dried her tears on her cheeks, and she'd stopped blubbering, he offered her a firewhiskey and they sat in front of the crackling fireplace together, sharing stories of their times at Hogwarts. Good memories, happy memories.

Her papa told her a lot about James, a lot more than he ever had. How they'd met each other on the train. How they'd become blood brothers in year two. How they'd figured out that Remus was a werewolf, and their decision to become animagi to help their friend. That had warmed her heart particularly, hearing about how James had been an awkward deer who could barely walk at first. How happy Remus was when he figured it out.

He told her about how they'd become the marauders, and adventures under an invisibility cloak, and a map that showed where everyone was in the castle. Hermione had been annoyed to hear that was how Potter and his friends would sneak around the castle, but her papa had been delighted that his legacy lived on. That certainly would have been nice for Hermione to have or ever just know about.

He told her about James's numerous attempts to woo a Miss Lily Evans, and how when she'd finally agreed to date him, he couldn't believe it. Sirius shared stories about James's stag do before the wedding, aptly named, Hermione thought, and the look on her papa's face when he described the wedding made her heart swell.

She finally felt like she knew James Potter, her papa's best friend, and the reason that he'd agreed to do all this, to take part in this great espionage, finally became clear. He'd been preyed upon, asked to do something when he was weakest, and of course he'd agreed when his best friend's death was twisted like a knife.

Hermione thought, quite bitterly, that perhaps Dumbledore wasn't the great man that Potter considered him. It wasn't the first time either. After a few hours, both of their heads fuzzy from the alcohol, they finally made the walk up the stairs to their separate rooms.

It had been lovely to feel like a normal girl for a while, but now Hermione had to face the facts. She wasn't and would never be a normal girl. And her papa, once a carefree young man, could never have a normal life. He was only thirty six, though, so Hermione hoped that he might find love and happiness once all of this blew over. If this was ever over.

Her hopes and dreams for the future cradled her to sleep.

Unfortunately, the next morning, reality crushed those hopes, reminding her that they were in the middle of the war. The Daily Prophet had already been delivered when she came downstairs for breakfast. The splashy headline immediately caught her eye.

Death Eaters had been broken out of Azkaban prison once again. Hermione supposed that wasn't so difficult when Voldemort had the dementors on his side. She scanned the accompanying photos of those known to have escaped. Hermione was familiar with most of the names, but one of the faces stuck out to her.

He was an older man, and though his hair was gray, it was clearly in the same style and texture as Theo's. He had piercing blue eyes that made Hermione's breath catch. He looked so severe, so angry, that she couldn't reconcile him with the quiet boy she knew from Hogwarts.

But there was no denying it. Theo's father was out of Azkaban.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Huge thank you to everyone who favorited and followed after last chapter - over 700 followers! I can't believe it! Huge thank you to everyone who reviewed as well! I love getting the feedback, and you all are so wonderful. Check out my tumblr (nauticalparamour), as I post sneak peaks of future chapters. This week, I will post a sneak peak of a Nevmione I will be posting next week!

This chapter starts year seven, so I am pretty much working from scratch! Please let me know what you think and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-five soon! Only seven chapters left...

* * *

Hermione's entire summer had been dominated by her Aunt Narcissa who had insisted on Hermione taking part in the season now that she was of age. Of course, Hermione suspected, it was because Narcissa didn't have a daughter of her own to put through it.

Still, it didn't make the endless practices any more palatable to Hermione. She'd had a practice gown with a tremendous train to walk about in, and high heels higher than anything she'd ever worn before, but the rich fabric just made her feel disgusting. They were putting her on show for a room of bidders, after all.

She also hated the way that Narcissa treated the war with absolute nonchalance, like people weren't disappearing everyday. Hermione knew that it was just Narcissa's coping mechanism, but that didn't mean that Hermione had to participate. She would much rather be spending time with Theo in her library, spending the warm afternoons kissing and exploring each other with kisses and tentative touches.

Hermione felt her cheeks warm at the memory of Theo's mouth on her bare breast. She didn't think that she'd ever be able to get the look on his face out of her mind. He'd been transfixed, enthralled even, to watch the responsive little peaks tighten and respond to his touches. After their time together in the Room of Requirement, Theo was quite eager to respond in kind.

Just seeing his long, skilled fingers was enough to make her heart beat quicken. She'd been a bit ticklish the first time he'd trailed his hands up under her skirt, only to dive into her knickers, but he'd quickly reduced her to a moaning mass. He'd quickly found a spot at the top of her sex to rub in tight circles while his fingers would press inside her, sending her straight into bliss. She hadn't expected it to feel so good. Nothing in Narcissa's book at referenced the persistent waves of pleasure that built up on one another until you crested, boneless and gasping.

A wrap on her hand by a ruler had Hermione's attention focused back on Narcissa. She gasped, holding her hand against her body. "Pay attention, Hermione." The blonde woman insisted. Hermione wanted to deride her aunt for using such muggle methods, but she knew that things were more than tense in the Malfoy household, and so she held it in.

"Now, as you know Draco will escort you to the bottom of the stairs, where your father will be waiting." Narcissa said, matter of factly. "Now, why don't you practice gliding down the stairs a few times?" The were having her debutante ball at Malfoy Manor because of the space it afforded. Hermione didn't mind. She certainly didn't want Grimmauld Place to be swarming with Death Eaters, even if it was only for one night.

Hermione sighed, and walked to the top of the steps, before holding her arm out at the side, as though Draco was there, and began walking down the stairs. She didn't even get halfway down before Narcissa criticized her and sent her back to the top. "Again." She said in the bored, exacting tone of voice that all purebloods seemed to have.

She thought she must have walked up and down the stairs a hundred times before Narcissa finally let her stop. "Well, it's a start." She said, a serene little smile on her face, as though her son hadn't been responsible for the Death of her school's Headmaster not even a month before. "Just think, soon you will have wizards lining up to court you."

Hermione frowned. "Well, I am already courting someone, aren't I? Theo Nott." Hermione said, pulling her wild hair behind her neck. Merlin, it had gotten really hot walking up and down the stairs and pureblood girls don't sweat, Hermione thought with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes, well, it's not as if that's official." Narcissa said with a sniff. "You haven't even met his father yet, and he will need to approve it as Theodore's paterfamilias. He might not accept the match." Narcissa loved to remind her of that, ever since Bellatrix had mentioned it.

Hermione's stomach clenched at the thought of being separated from Theo. They'd been together as friends for so long and as significant others for almost a year. She couldn't imagine having to end contact with them just because his father didn't approve of her. Or really, if her father didn't approve of Theo either.

Oh, who was she kidding? Her papa loved Theo, even if he was loathe to admit it.

Shaking those thoughts from her head, she decided not to worry about it. The ball was only a week away, and there was no use worrying about it _now_. They would just have to cross that road when they got there.

* * *

Hermione couldn't decide if she should be relieved or overwhelmed when the night of her debutante ball finally arrived. She was so excited for the lessons to be over, finally, but now everything was for real and the prospect of making a mistake was daunting.

At Daphne's own ball, which Hermione had attended, the Greengrasses were trying to make a match between Daphne and Adrian Pucey. They'd gone on dates before at Hogwarts and it hadn't ended well. Needless to say, Daphne was less than accepting of the match, and she'd thrown her glass of champagne in Adrian's face. Now the Greengrasses were being horrible to Daphne and constantly bemoaning her lack of prospects.

Hermione doubted her papa would be upset with her if she threw a glass of champagne in someone's face, if fact, he'd probably applaud it. Still, the thought of slighting someone important still made her nervous. She was glad that Lord Voldemort wouldn't be at the ball. Too many people not associated with the Dark side had been invited and it would cause quite a scandal if he were to show up. And Narcissa Malfoy never caused scandals. Still, Hermione knew it was only a matter of time before _he_ began showing up at polite society events.

So she'd put on the tight red dress - red was her color, Narcissa told her with a slight frown - and waited for the pomposity to begin. Her entrance had gone flawlessly, if only because of her papa's proud face waiting for her at the end of the staircase. It gave her the confidence to _glide_ down the stairs to Narcissa's exacting standards. With her hair done and her makeup perfect, she'd never felt more womanly.

She'd twirled around the room with multiple wizards, laughing at their bad jokes, all the while wondering if they were trying to buy her for themselves or their sons. The thought made her skin crawl.

Luckily, her papa had been quick to notice when she needed a break, and swept her out of the room and into the cool air of the gardens. "Thanks, papa." She whispered, giving him a hug. She knew it was a bit childish - Narcissa absolutely detested that she'd never grown out of calling him that - but it didn't feel _right_ to call Sirius anything else.

Sirius gave a little shudder. "I just hate being expected to ignore that all of those men - some of them older than I am - are going to come lobbying me for your hand in marriage." He turned to face her. "You know that I would never accept a betrothal contract without your approval, right?" His mercurial eyes read her face.

Hermione smiled. "Of course, papa. I trust you." She gave his hand a little squeeze.

"We both know that you wouldn't approve of anyone but me then, don't we?" A voice cut into their private moment. Hermione whipped around and was surprised to see Rabastan Lestrange waiting there. Didn't he get the hint last time?

"I would never approve of you. I want nothing to do with you." She spat out, not liking the way that the man's eyes roved up and down her body. "I told you as much last time." He was rather good looking, Hermione could concede, with his green blue eyes and dark red hair, but his personality made her skin crawl.

"Last time?" She heard her papa's voice, deathly quiet, whisper from behind her, and Hermione felt all her muscles tense in concern. She was horrified that Rabastan would bring this up, when she wanted nothing more than to forget it had ever happened.

"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Rabastan asked, amused. "The very first time we met, your pup couldn't keep her eyes off of me. She sought me out and we had a little discussion in Lucius's office. I promise that I kept my hands to myself...well, mostly." Rabastan added with a smirk.

Hermione shivered in fear. This conversation was getting out of hand. "Hermione, go back inside the party." Her father's voice cut through the still night air, and he was deadly serious. She didn't want to go in, but looking at his face, she knew that he meant business. "Now."

She bit her lower lip, but in the end started walking back to the house. She was worried, but knew that her papa could hold his own. Just when she got back inside, she heard sounds of a tussle.

* * *

When she returned to the party, she barely had any time to compose herself before Theo was at her side. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you." He said with a smile, too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice her shaken appearance. "Come on, I want to introduce you to my father."

Hermione took Theo's arm and followed him over to the side of the party where Alfred Nott was waiting. Hermione was nervous, as she wanted to make a good impression on the man, because she would very much like to continue her relationship with Theo.

Suddenly, they were standing in front of a stern looking older man, with quite the mustache. Hermione was then lurching forward, to place a continental kiss on each cheek in greeting, and though she knew that Theo introduced him by his given name, she wasn't stupid enough to call him anything but Mister Nott without his given permission.

He was as tall as Theo was, and they had a lot of similarities, but he had none of the warmth in his piercing blue eyes that Theo had. He looked down at her as if she were some kind of pest to him. "So this is the _girl_ you wish to court then, Theodore?" He asked his son, not even looking at Hermione. "The daughter of a former blood traitor."

Hermione knew she should hold her tongue, but she couldn't help herself. "My father has been very active in the Wizengamot, championing pureblood rights. I think you'll find that we live up to our pedigree." She said stiffly. Merlin, she wished she could take that back. She was supposed to make a good impression on him, not act like a petulant child.

Alfred Nott stared down at her, this time a bit more favorably, she thought. "Is that so?" He asked, but she knew this was a rhetorical question. "Well, carry on then." He said, motioning to Theo to take her out of his sight, for now.

Hermione felt some of the earlier tension leave her body with that tentative approval. It had been terribly frightening to speak to him...he was the first Death Eater she'd met that had truly chilled her to the bone. There was something about his aura that gripped you tightly like chilly fingers. She remembered that he'd been one of Voldemort's school friends, so perhaps he'd just had years to soak in the Dark Arts.

Theo asked her to dance then, something she was only too happy to do. Being in her arms was like floating on thin air, and he chased all of her nerves away. She knew that Theo and his father had a tense relationship, so she wanted to make a good impression, but she really hoped that Theo never turned out like that man.

"You did wonderful." He told her with a keen smile. "Trust me, that was actually a warm reception." The expression on his face made Hermione a bit sad. What would it have been like to grow up with a father like that?

"You take after your father. Except for your eyes." She told him, honestly. She supposed that he'd gotten his eyes from his mother, though she'd never seen a picture of what Theo's mum would have looked like. "Although, I wouldn't suggest you grow a mustache anytime soon." She added with a wry grin.

That had Theo laughing, and twirling her around the ballroom. Hermione contented herself with looking around the room, and quickly spotted her papa coming in from the ballroom. He paused and straightened his shirt and hair and stretched his fingers as if he still had too much energy in them. Then, he plastered a fake smile on his face, and rejoined the party.

* * *

By the time that the party concluded, Hermione wanted nothing more than to burn her high heels and then sleep for sixteen hours. She'd been guided to the floo by her papa, after extensive thank yous to Aunt Narcissa for hosting. When they got back to the parlor in Grimmauld Place, Hermione groaned at seeing the clock. It was past three AM.

She immediately fell into the plush chair nearest to her, before desperately pulling at the high heels on her feet. Merlin, she needed them off. When she looked up, she saw her papa looking at her, his expression pained. "What is it? Are you hurt?" She asked, hoping he hadn't done anything too ridiculous when she left him in the gardens.

Sirius shook his head. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, quietly. She could tell from his expression that he was hurt. "Why didn't you tell me that... _Rabastan_ Lestrange had grabbed you like that...and back in fifth year?"

Hermione winced. "I didn't want you to worry." That sounded lame, even to her, but it was the truth. She knew that her papa would go and do something drastic.

"Didn't want me to...Hermione I am your father. I worry about you all the time. I'm the one who's meant to keep you safe, but I can't do that if you don't let me know when you have problems!" He raised his voice, but Hermione knew that he was mad at the situation and not at her.

She winced though, knowing that she had really hurt her papa's feelings. "I...I didn't want anyone to know that I'd been alone with him. He asked about establishing an understanding, and I feared that if Narcissa or Lucius found out, they would make me enter one with him." Hermione shuddered, remembering the feel of his hot breath on her neck even all these years later.

"I never would have allowed that." Sirius said, his voice low, concerned. Hadn't he been clear enough with her that he wouldn't make her do anything that she didn't want to?

"I know that, but, well...society dictates that if a young girl is alone in a room, unchaperoned, with a man that it's expected. I didn't know what would happen to me if I refused." She felt tears spill from her cheeks. She hated that she made her papa worry so much. "And it was okay, I can handle myself, I...I kneed him in the bollocks."

She saw her papa wince involuntarily at the punishment she'd given the other man. "Well, please just tell me in the future. You have no idea how...helpless I felt earlier tonight." He admitted quietly.

"What did you do to him? To Rabastan?" Hermione asked hesitantly. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know as her papa could be quite vicious with a wand.

Her papa smiled at that, clearly revealing in the memory. "Oh, I just gave him a few punches. Broke his nose. You'd think a Death Eater like Rabastan would know how to fight back a bit more, but I think he relies on his wand too much." Hermione smirked, hearing that her papa had gone for a muggle method. "He won't be bothering you anymore, sweetheart."

"Thank you papa." She yawned loudly, surprised that she was even able to have this conversation. She felt like she was sleep walking.

"Alright, you get on up to bed. You've had a big day." Her papa encouraged her. She knew that once she left he would sit down in the parlor, by himself, drinking firewhiskey. She hated how closed off his life was, how stunted it was emotionally, and she hoped for his sake that this war was over soon.

* * *

Sighing as he watched the Hogwarts' Express pull away from Kings Cross station, Sirius was glad this was the last year that Hermione would be off at Hogwarts. Honestly, he had reservations about sending her there without Dumbledore in charge, but he knew that it would raise more eyebrows with his peers if he didn't show up.

After all, he'd been an active participant in the Wizengamot session that had made Hogwarts attendance mandatory, and it would be suspicious if his daughter didn't attend. It would be curious, when Hogwarts was now considered so safe, now that muggleborn students were barred from attending.

Just as he was about to make his way home to the emptiness of Grimmauld Place, he was stopped by Lucius. "Come, Black, it has been too long since we've had a nice little chat. Join us back at the Manor. I know you won't say no to some of my firewhiskey."

Sirius grunted, knowing that it was practically impossible to say no to Lucius and if he had to be in his presence, he would certainly be drinking Lucius's expensive firewhiskey. He was a bit on edge with the chummy tone of voice Lucius was using. He and Lucius had never gotten along in the last sixteen year, despite Narcissa's efforts. "I suppose one drink couldn't hurt." He agreed, before following Lucius's lead and apparating back to Malfoy Manor.

When he arrived, he followed Lucius to his study and sat down on the brown leather couch, not able to settle into the cold fabric. Must everything about Lucius be this cold and unyielding? He honestly was surprised that Draco didn't have more quirks growing up in a house like this.

A tumbler of firewhiskey firmly in hand, Lucius didn't wait to get down to business. "You've been instrumental in passing some key legislation in the Wizengamot, Black. I must say I am impressed." His gray eyes were trained on his cousin-in-law. "You have quite the talent as an orator."

"What can I say, with Minerva McGonagall as my head of house, I got quite good at talking my way out of and into things." Sirius said with a wry smile. He took every opportunity to bring up his Gryffindor-ness to Lucius, knowing that it irked him.

"Yes, I'm sure." Lucius said with a tight smile. "One might think, though, that you'd be willing to step up your assistance to our cause. If you took the mark, you might find you are able to get more done."

Sirius forced down a shudder, knowing that Lucius would be reading all of his mannerisms for a hint of dissent. "Don't I do enough for our cause already? I am always good to donate to any pet projects your Lord has for you."

"Yes well, the Dark Lord grows impatient." Lucius said, no longer beating around the bush about his involvement with the Death Eaters. Sirius thought that this might be the first time he just came right out and said it. "You know that he would love to collect one member from each family in the Sacred Twenty-Eight."

Sirius shuddered at the thought of being collected. "He's already had Blacks. He's got Bellatrix right now." His brother had already given up his life. Wasn't that enough for them?

"Bellatrix is a Lestrange, you of course know this." Lucius said, ready to break down any argument that Sirius presented to him.

"Hermione." Sirius croaked out. "I won't take the mark until Hermione is settled with a good wizard. I know that in your line of work, people are liable to die or disappear with little notice, and I won't have my girl left to fend for herself." Sirius had given up everything to Dumbledore's cause, but he wasn't going to give up Hermione's safety or happiness for it, too.

Lucius gave him a broad smile. "Well, that shouldn't be an issue. I imagine that after her ball, she has received quite a few offers. She was enchanting. Why, I'd have even welcomed her into my family if you'd have allowed it."

Sirius gave Lucius a reproachful look, knowing that the blond knew his feelings on marrying cousins. "Yes, I have received a few offers, but of course, Hermione will get the final say."

"I understand that Rabastan Lestrange was quite interested." Lucius offered, with a vicious little smirk, having seen the state that Rabastan had left the manor in after the party. Dried blood on his face, and two black eyes, he'd been spitting mad at having been attacked by _Sirius Black_.

"I was thinking someone a little closer to Hermione's own age." Sirius said, with a glare. "I understand that she and Theodore Nott are quite taken with each other." He slammed the rest of the firewhiskey, unable to spend another moment with Lucius. "Excuse me, I have to be getting home."

* * *

Hermione was conflicted about her return to Hogwarts. It felt odd knowing that a significant number of students wouldn't be there, given that muggleborns were not allowed to attend. She'd barely been able to contain herself from hexing Pansy, who just couldn't stop going on and on about how much _better_ it was going to be with the mudbloods gone.

She thought Theo might have noticed her discomfort, because he'd given her leg a squeeze, which had allowed her to relax a bit. She would save her considerations for what that meant for later, when she was in the privacy of her own bed.

At dinner, Hermione was unsurprised to see that Snape had been selected by the Board of Governors to be the next Headmaster. He looked rigid in the seat that had previously belonged to the man he'd killed. Hermione watched dispassionately as Snape introduced their two new Professors, Alecto and Amycus Carrow.

"Death Eaters." Theo had whispered in her ear. It was no surprise then, that they would be instructing them in Dark Arts and Muggle Studies, which was now a required class. Hermione knew that the curriculum would be greatly changed, and likely give an incredibly false view of muggles and teach the extensive rules of pureblood Wizarding society. She was absolutely not looking forward to it.

Still, it was her NEWTs year, so she was sure that she could buckle down and learn what would be required of her, while still keeping an eye on anything that might be useful for her papa. She was sure that with actual Death Eaters in the castle, she'd be able to find out loads without even trying.

Looking over to the Gryffindor table, Hermione scanned the students to see if she could find the Golden Trio. She quickly found bright red hair, but quickly noticed that it was Ginny Weasley, not Ronald. She looked again, but found no sign of Weasley, Longbottom or Potter.

That _was_ a surprise, Hermione thought, as Hogwarts attendance was mandatory. Sure Potter didn't have parents, but the other two did have guardians who would be on the hook if their children didn't show up to school. She wondered just how they'd gotten out of it.

Deciding that she'd spent entirely too much time staring at the Gryffindor table, Hermione looked down at her own plate, sighing as she pushed around her food. This was going to be her hardest year yet.


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Huge thank you to everyone who favorited or followed! And big shout out to my reviewers! I am so glad that you guys are enjoying this story, because it was such a delight to write. I hope that this chapter will fulfill some of your spy ambitions for Hermione, though it does end with a bit of a cliffhanger...I promise not to make you wait too long to find out what happened. You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour), I will probably post a sneak peak of the next chapter over the weekend.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-five and be on the lookout for twenty-six soon!

* * *

They had their first Dark Arts lesson the day after the Welcoming Feast. Hermione was surprised to learn that they would be with the Hufflepuffs, as they almost always got paired with the Gryffindors. Still, it was a welcome change, as Hermione didn't fancy getting hexed while her back was turned.

Amycus Carrow was a very harsh looking man with hollowed cheeks. If Hermione didn't know better, she would think that he had come directly from Azkaban. He was a very plain looking man otherwise, with dark hair and dark eyes, but he was quite commanding with a wand.

He didn't take long to introduce all kinds of nasty little jinxes and hexes and had them practice on their classmates, letting them know that they would work up to the Cruciatus Curse. Hermione was absolutely horrified to learn that the Ministry had sanctioned using unforgivable curses, but she figured that it must have been easy to get the okay from the puppet minister currently in office.

Hermione had been paired with Hannah Abbott, and didn't desire to cause the blonde girl any more pain than necessary, so she knew she wasn't casting to her full capacity, but Carrow didn't seem to notice. His eyes were too busy lingering on the forms of all the girls in the class to notice. It made Hermione sick to her stomach.

She looked around the room, trying to remain dispassionate while she watched Crabbe take rather vicious pleasure in hexing Ernie Macmillian. Unfortunately for Vince, it seemed that Ernie was just as delighted to send a hex back at him. It seemed that tensions were already high enough in Hogwarts...things were already bubbling over.

She found Daphne after class. "Did you see the way Professor Carrow was staring at me?" Daphne asked her, concern on her face. "It made my skin crawl." She crossed her arms over her chest, as though that could afford any protection from the leering man's eyes.

Hermione nodded. "I didn't think I'd ever say this, but I miss Professor Snape's lessons." Hermione said, rubbing her side, where Hannah Abbott had gotten her. "I was never this sore after the first lesson! At least Muggle Studies can't be much worse, right?" Hermione asked, rhetorically.

It could, it would turn out, be much worse that Dark Arts because Alecto Carrow was a completely different beast. She wore her hair pulled back in a tight, severe bun, that made Professor McGonagall look like she had her hair down. Her dark eyes seemed to glitter, and Hermione felt like they were lingering on her, like she knew some of her secrets.

Some of the things that she said about muggles too, were just so awful, especially when Hermione knew what muggles were like. They weren't anything like Alecto Carrow said, and it was so obviously fear tactics, but the way her friends seemed to agree with them made her feel more alone than she had since she started at Hogwarts.

By the time that she returned to the Common Room after dinner, she felt drained and miserable. She barely even acknowledged Theo when he sat down next to her, pulling her smaller body towards him. "Want to talk about it?" He asked, softly.

Hermione bit her lip. Could she trust Theo? Deciding that she could - anything she said could be waved off because she was _just a girl_. "I just wasn't expecting...all this at Hogwarts." She said weakly. "It's a lot to take in."

Theo sighed. "I know. I just wanted to take my NEWTs before I had to deal with...any of that." He responded to her, neither one of them addressing what they were really talking about it. Neither wanted to put to words that it was the Dark Lord's changes affecting them.

"Do you think that it's worth it, Theo? I mean...cursing our classmates?" She whispered, not wanting to overheard by anyone else. This was the first time that she'd flat out asked him about this.

"I don't know Hermione, but I hope it gets easier." He responded, pressing his lips to her cheek.

* * *

A week into school, Theo received a missive from his father. Or at least, Hermione had assumed that it was from his father, as it was sent with his family's owl. He read the note quietly, but seeing the way that he clenched his jaw made Hermione think that he did not like what he was reading.

"Is everything alright?" She whispered, trying not to call any more attention to herself than usual.

Theo shook his head. "Room of Requirement after dinner?" He asked her. Hermione nodded in agreement, and tried to eat her dinner as quickly as possible, needing to know what the message contained. She didn't even wait for dessert to be served before she was tugging on his arm, pulling him from the table.

They walked in silence, and when they arrived at the Room of Requirement, Hermione was surprised to see that it had taken the form of the library at Grimmauld Place. It was nice to know that Theo felt comfortable there, comfortable enough to relax. "Well, what is it?" Hermione asked, the suspense was killing her.

Theo sat down on the couch, and sighed heavily, the letter still clutched in his hand. "My father...my father wants me to take the mark on my birthday." He said, obviously tense, but otherwise not giving away a hint of emotion.

Hermione sat down next to him heavily, with a gasp. No! She couldn't let Theo become a Death Eater...she...she loved him. She felt tears spring up in her eyes. "Please, no Theo!" She grabbed onto his arm wanting to hold on to him, unable to let him go. "Please don't do it!"

"Well, I can't really tell him no, can I?" Theo asked, his temper getting the better of him. Hermione still took this as a positive sign, thinking that he probably wouldn't be reacting so strongly if it was something that he wanted for himself.

"Please Theo, I can't. I was so worried about Draco all last year, and he hasn't been the same since." She said biting her lip. Her heart was still racing from her revelation that she loved Theo, but she didn't have time to analyze that just yet. "I can't be worried about you too, Theo. I couldn't stand worrying if you'd be forced to do something you didn't want. You mean so much to me."

"What would you have me do, Hermione?" He was annoyed, and he ran his hand through his hair, messing it up. Merlin, everything just seemed to be getting worse and worse.

Hermione took a deep breath and tried to think of a way to get out of it. "Ask him...ask him if you can wait until you've finished your NEWTs. Tell him, you want to maximize your benefit to the Dark Lord." She offered, thinking of the idea quite quickly, wanting, needing any excuse to keep Theo from being a Death Eater.

Theo looked at her tear stained face. He thought that her idea might actually get some traction with his father. Alfred Nott had always been a scholar, and as he understood it, so had the Dark Lord. It's not as if he'd be able to aid on missions while he was at Hogwarts.

"I will ask him." Theo said quietly, running his fingers through Hermione's hair. She'd wrapped her little arms around his middle as though she was afraid to let him go. "I don't want to...make you worry." There, he'd been so close to telling her the truth of it. He'd been so close to just flat out telling her that he didn't want to be a Death Eater.

"It would ruin me if I lost you, Theo." Hermione whispered, appeased that he'd ask his father. She knew that she had bigger things to worry about, but now, she was going to make Theo remaining Dark Mark free a priority.

* * *

Hermione's birthday was a farce that made her long for her first birthday at Hogwarts, when they were all just children. Her papa had sent cupcakes again, as he did every year, and everyone joined her around the coffee table in the Common Room to share and give her presents.

Her birthday fell on a Friday that year, and Blaise's present was a bit of firewhiskey for all. Hermione had drank some, thinking that it would help her to relax a little bit, and forget about the stress of the new Hogwarts.

She was glad to see that Draco had even joined them. He'd been exceptionally sullen since last year, and no amount of prodding could get him to open up about what was bothering him. Hermione had tried everything she could think of. Of course, by now, everyone knew that he'd been meant to kill Dumbledore and failed to do so, but Hermione knew that he just hadn't wanted to. She wished that he knew that he had other options.

Hermione sat back against the couch, snuggled under Theo's arm, just listening to what her friends were talking about, hoping that she could forget for just a little bit. Pansy was chattering on about some French wizard that had contacted her father for marriage contract. She constantly looked to see if Draco was affected. He wasn't.

Tracey was consoling Daphne who had received a particularly nasty missive from her mother earlier that day. Hermione could tell, though, that Tracey was annoyed. No one wanted a marriage contract with Tracey Davis, a half-blood. Her stock had dropped considerably in Hogwarts, despite being a Slytherin.

Blaise and Theo were actually discussing the Italian Quidditch League, a topic so banal that it made Hermione want to punch Theo in the stomach. How could he possibly be concerned about which Chaser had better left hand agility at a time like this?

Draco sat dispassionately listening to Vince and Greg giggle over how they'd hexed a little Hufflepuff first year at the behest of Alecto Carrot the other day. If Hermione had to hear how the poor girl had squealed one more time she would seriously hurt one or both of them.

Standing from the couch, she stood and made her way to the portrait entrance, needing a bit of fresh air. She decided that she'd walk to the Astronomy tower, and hoped that some cold hair could clear the warm haze of the firewhiskey.

It didn't take long for a set of footsteps to catch up to her, and Hermione was unsurprised to see that Theo had followed her. She gave him a sorry face. "I am sorry, I just needed some air. I think I had a bit too much firewhiskey." She apologized.

Theo bit his lip as if he wanted to say something, but he held back. Reaching down he took her hand in hers. "I'll join you. It was a bit...stifling in there." He told her with a smile. "Plus, I can give you your present."

He handed her a small box, which Hermione opened with eager fingers. Inside was a set of pearl earrings in wrought silver. "Thank you, they are beautiful." Hermione said, letting her fingers trace over them. "Were they your mother's?" She asked quietly.

Theo's cheeks went a bit pink, but he nodded. "I'm sorry I can't give you more traditional gifts." Hermione knew that Theo wasn't able to give her the typical gifts that one would receive while courting because his father hadn't approved of their courtship, yet. But, she also knew that his mother's possessions held a lot of sentimental value to him, so she didn't mind.

"That doesn't matter to me Theo. I am glad that you are willing to share a part of her with me." She told him truthfully.

He relaxed, and pulled her into a heart-stopping kiss. Hermione melted, her body pressed against his tightly, and for the first time weeks, she truly felt the stress of her mission leave her.

* * *

Theo hadn't heard back from his father until the week of his birthday, which had left him in a perpetual state of nerves. When he finally saw his family's owl at breakfast, though, he snatched the letter out of the poor startled bird's beak before it could even land properly.

He tore open the wax seal, eagerly reading the tight handwriting of his father, all the while hoping for good news. A bright smile formed on his face, his green eyes lighting up in joy.

Hermione slipped into the seat next to him, and looked him over. "Good news?" She asked. She was immensely surprised when Theo grabbed the sides of her face, before pressing his lips firmly against his. She couldn't stop the small moan of pleasure at his confident actions.

"Oi!" Draco called darkly from the other side of the table. "No kissing my cousin at the breakfast table. It's not proper even _if_ you were in a courtship, which you are most certainly not."

Theo broke the kiss, unable to remove the grin from his face. He handed Hermione the letter for her to read over. "My father has agreed to formalize my courtship with Hermione at my birthday party this year." Theo said triumphantly. "She'll get to come with. So excuse me if I'm a bit demonstrative today."

"That's excellent news. Congratulations, Theo." Draco said, shaking his friend's hand. He did feel a bit of responsibility for his little curly haired cousin, but he was glad that she'd be with Theo rather than someone like Rabastan Lestrange. He couldn't imagine that going over well with his Uncle Sirius.

"What am I? Chopped flobberworm?" Hermione asked, with a grin on her face. While Theo's letter _did_ say that he'd formalize the courtship if Hermione was presented to him at Theo's birthday party, it also had agreed to Theo's request to put off the mark until after he'd sat his NEWTs in June. She squeezed Theo's hand under the table.

"I guess I owe you a congratulations to you as well, don't I?" Draco said with a smirk on his face. Of course he was happy for Hermione as well, just as she would be when he entered a courtship with a nice girl. His face fell. "Oh, Merlin, now mother will be hounding me to offer for a good girl."

Hermione laughed at her cousin. "Come now, Draco, it can't be that awful can it? I am sure that your mother does all the work for you." Hermione could just imagine Aunt Narcissa kept a dossier of potential brides for her son.

"Yes, but she's far more concerned with bloodlines that looks. I don't want to marry into the Sacred Twenty-Eight if she looks like a pug." Draco said with a sneer.

That had Hermione choking on her pumpkin juice. She made eye contact with Draco and she just _knew_ that he did mean Pansy. She tried desperately to keep a laugh from bubbling up in her chest, but luckily, Theo saved her the effort.

"All the more reason for you to start looking then, don't you think?" Theo told Draco with a grin. He was just glad that he found a girl who was quite pretty, wicked smart, and above all, liked him back just as much.

* * *

Hermione had been granted a reluctant weekend pass from Headmaster Snape to return to Grimmauld Place so that she could attend Theo's birthday party, and be presented to Theo's father in turn. She felt a little annoyed at having to be paraded around, but, still, she was excited for a chance to see her papa.

They spent the Saturday before the party together, just talking about how things had been at Hogwarts, until he finally got to the point he wanted to press. "Hermione, I just want to make sure that you are...on board with all of this before I agree to it."

Hermione had scrunched up her nose at him. "Of course I'm on board. It's the logical next step. I know it's been a bit scandalous that Theo and I have been dating all last year without formal approval."

Sirius smiled at her, but shook his head. "No, I mean...I don't want you to agree to a courtship just because it's expected of you, Hermione. Sod what's expected and keep dating the boy if that's all you want. I'll support your decision, no matter what." He placed his hand on her arm. He felt warm, protective. Sure, he actually found that he _liked_ the Nott boy, who had a good head on his shoulders, but he wasn't going to force Hermione into a permanent relationship with him.

"Oh, papa. I am sure that it's what I want. Honestly, I've longed for it." Hermione said, her features softening under the scrutiny. "I have come to love Theo over the last six years. He started as my best friend, but he is so much more than that now."

Sirius certainly wasn't expecting Hermione to tell him that she loved Nott, and he pulled away, needing to take a seat. If there had ever been evidence that his little girl was growing up, it was clear as day now. "I...alright. I will agree to the courtship then."

Hermione sat next to him on the couch, and nibbled on her lower lip. Sirius practically groaned, knowing that this meant she _wanted_ to say something to him, but she wasn't sure where to start. "Papa...do you think it's possible that I might tell Theo...the truth?"

Sirius felt concern, hot and boiling, wash over him. Anyone learning the truth put his daughter at risk, and he couldn't agree to it, not even if she fancied herself in love with the boy. "Absolutely not. Hermione, now it is even more important that we do not take risks."

Hermione had expected that answer. "But papa, he's already shown reluctance to take the mark and he agrees with me about the deplorable actions of the Death Eaters at Hogwarts. I don't think that he'd betray me."

He saw sweet trust in her eyes, but he knew that she'd never really been burned before by someone she trusted implicitly. Not like he had, by Pettigrew. "Exactly, you don't _think_ that he'd betray you, but you don't know for certain. I am not willing to take that risk with you Hermione. Do you even know what would happen to you if he revealed it?"

Seeing her swallow thickly, he thought that she certainly didn't. "I just...engagement isn't far off, for certain, and I don't want to trap him in the vows of marriage with a girl that's lied to him the whole time he's known her."

"Listen, we'll talk more later. The engagement isn't going to happen tonight, so just give me some time to think it over, okay?" He begged. He wondered what kind of advice Remus might have for him. Since Dumbledore's death, they'd been meeting more frequently. "Now, why don't you go on upstairs and get ready for the party?"

* * *

Hermione had shown up to Theo's birthday in a maroon dress - Aunt Narcissa had sent it along for her to wear to the party, and red was just her color, after all - proudly wearing the pearl earrings he'd gifted her with. In her hand, she clutched a small package tightly to give to Theo as a present.

She was excited that she could finally give him a more traditional gift, rather than just books, now that they were formally courting. She hoped that he'd like her grandfather Orion's cufflinks, made of shiny onyx. Her papa told her that his father had been quite fond of them, but he had no desire to ever wear them. She'd wanted to get him a watch, but she was sure that he'd received one last year when he came of age.

When she was first taken into the house she'd barely had time to press a chaste kiss against Theo's cheek in greeting before he'd been shuffled off by his father to meet someone else. Hermione let her eyes scan the party. She was the only one here that was her or Theo's age. She sniffed. Well, it wasn't so much a party _for_ Theo, but rather one for Alfred Nott to parade his son about.

Looking around the room, Hermione tried not to feel put out or neglected, being that this man was supposed to be welcoming her into his family and he hadn't even said hello to her yet. She knew that she should just go and find her Uncle, as she was sure she'd seen the white blond hair of Lucius Malfoy stalking around, but she figured that now was as good a time as any to do some snooping.

Before she could make her way out of the room, though, she felt a cold hand settle on her shoulder. Hermione lifted her head up was was shocked to come face to face with the cold, red eyes of Lord Voldemort. His fact was serpentine and his smile was predatory, and she felt her blood run cold. She had not expected to see him tonight, but here he was, in the flesh. "Miss Black, we meet at last." His voice was high pitched and reedy, giving Hermione the shivers.

She quickly found her voice, her eyes down at the floor knowing that it would be seen as a sign of respect. She knew that Voldemort was a master Legilimens. "My Lord. It's an honor to meet you."

"Yes, I must say I was quite eager to meet you. I've heard many things about you, Miss Black. Top of your class, daughter of an ancient and noble house, and about to join in courtship with my old friend's only son." Voldemort purred through her accomplishments.

Hermione bristled, not liking the way that he talked about Theo, as if he was some prize that she'd won. If anything, she was the prize. "Yes, I am quite fond of Theo, and I am very glad to enter a courtship with him, now that Mr. Nott has been released from prison." She said with a smile, knowing that he would likely find humor in the word choice.

He did quietly chuckle. "And will you be joining your intended in joining my organization once you've graduated? As you know, we need as many pureblood witches and wizards fighting to help correct the sorry state of wizarding society." He asked her sharply, reading her face for any hint of emotion.

Hermione felt her breath leave her. She'd never even contemplated becoming a Death Eater, being forced to become a Death Eater. "You flatter me my Lord. However, I don't feel it would be appropriate until I was able to produce House Nott an heir. After all, what use is fighting for pureblood ideals if there are no pureblood children to pass those ideals onto?" Hermione needed to get out of the conversation. "If I might take your leave, my Lord, I was just on my way to powder my nose."

Voldemort looked her up and down once more, before nodding his head, dismissing her. Hermione didn't wait long before turning tail and heading towards the door. She needed to put some space between herself and Voldemort. She looked around the rest of the ballroom, seeing everyone happily conversing with one another.

They'd all forgotten her so far, hadn't they? So they wouldn't notice if she slipped out of the ballroom and looked around a bit, and it would give her a chance to calm her heart, which was beating like a jack rabbit. Her meeting with Voldemort was only further incentive to find out what she could while she was here. And really, it shouldn't seem too odd, should it? This would, ostensibly, be her home one day, and she was curious. No one stopped her when she left the room in a swirl of shimmering maroon.

She located Alfred's study quite easily, and she wasn't sure if she should be disappointed or glad that it was completely unwarded. Certainly, a high ranking Death Eater of Nott's ilk would have been more fastidious about locking his secrets away. The desk was broad, dark oak, and absolutely covered with papers.

Hermione smirked, thinking she understood where Theo got his slight disorganization from. She stepped around the desk, and began piecing through the papers, looking for something, anything interesting. Towards the bottom of the stack, she found something she knew would be useful to the Order.

Quickly finding a blank bit of parchment, her fingers now shaking and sweaty, she used her wand to copy the notes from the page, and she quickly stuffed it in her bag. Returning the paper to the bottom of the pile, she nearly leapt from her skin when she heard the door bang open.

"What are _you_ doing in here?"


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Big thank you to everyone who favorited/followed after last chapter! Huge thank you to my reviewers! Hope the cliffhanger wasn't too awful for you guys - I loved reading your guesses of who caught Hermione. This is the longest chapter yet AND it will push this story's word count over 100k! I can't believe I've written so much.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-six and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-seven soon!

* * *

Hermione spun around and came face to face with Alfred Nott, the father of the boy she was trying to marry. She was here, in his private study, a place where she was decidedly _not_ supposed to be. Hiding a document that she'd stolen from his desk. She pressed her hand against her chest, trying to calm her beating heart. "Oh, Merlin! You frightened me." She said softly.

Alfred stared down at her fiercely, not at all amused by her pointedly ignoring his question. Theo was just as tall as him now, and while they shared many physical characteristics, they didn't _look_ the same. Alfred was cold, angry, dark. You could feel the dark energy rolling off him in waves. "What are you doing in here?"

Hermione looked down at the floor, unable to meet his harsh gaze any longer. "I was looking for the lavatory. I came in here on accident, but then, I saw you had such an impressive collection of books." She finally met his gaze again, and found that he was much closer to her than he'd been before. She bit her lower lip. "I don't know if Theo has told you, but I am quite the lover of books. I couldn't resist."

Alfred breathed out of his nostrils, the air disturbing the bushy moustache over his tightly sealed lips. He looked at her shrewdly, trying to decide what to think of her little story. Hermione knew that her heart was beating fast enough that she could practically hear it. "And was there any book in particular that caught your eye?" He asked, his voice a bit gravely.

"I noticed you had a rare edition of _Magick Moste Evil_. I've read the edition in the Restricted Section, of course, but as I understand this edition has an expanded section on slicing hexes." Hermione told him truthfully. Of course she had read about the Dark Arts, even if she didn't plan to use any of it for a nefarious purpose. She just found it terribly interesting.

He looked at her, eyebrows pressed together, for one more moment, before smirking. "Yes, I can see why Theodore finds you so delightful." He said. "If you'd like, I will send you my copy at Hogwarts, provided that you return it in the same condition you find it."

Hermione repressed her sigh of relief. He had bought her story, and didn't suspect her of rifling through or taking any of his papers. He just saw her as a clever, but harmless, good girl. "That would be lovely Mr. Nott."

"Now, let's return to the party, shall we? I know Theodore was quite distressed when he was unable to find you." He offered her his arm, and Hermione placed her hand on it, allowing him to escort her back to the ballroom.

When they rejoined the other participants, Hermione was quickly caught by Theo. "Where did you get off to, Hermione?" He asked, concern over her well being evident. Only then, of course, did Hermione remember that Theo knew exactly what had happened to her the last time she'd wandered off at a party. Rabastan Lestrange had groped her. And with Voldemort skulking about the party, she was sure troubled him as well.

"I'm so sorry to have made you worry, Theo. I just got a bit turned around on my way to the powder room." She said with a sweet smile, removing herself from his father's arm. "Shall we go for a turn about the dance floor?" She asked, confidently.

Theo was a wonderful dancer, Hermione knew, likely owing to lessons as a child. Still, lessons couldn't create the peaceful feeling that would settle over her whenever she was in his arms. It was like he would protect her, keep her safe. When he twirled her around until she giggled, it felt like she was floating on a cloud.

She loved the way that his large hand strayed a bit lower than was socially acceptable on her lower back, his long fingers pressed into the top part of her arse, as though he might like to cup and squeeze her there, but he could just barely restrain himself.

It made her mind wander to all of the times they'd had alone together and how they'd pressed each other just a bit further each time. She knew exactly how it made him wild to be kissed just behind his ear, or how he loved to stare at her face whenever she wrapped her hand around his cock. As if he were imagining more.

She'd even put him in her mouth once, wanting to know what it would be like, and she found that she loved the way it made her feel quite powerful, to reduce a normally quiet Theo to a groaning, swearing, pleading mess. He was only too happy to respond in kind and he'd gotten quite good at knowing just how hard to press against her clit, just how quickly to swirl his thumb around it, while his long fingers entered her. But, Hermione thought, seeing his eyes look up at her while his mouth was buried between her legs as he licked and sucked her to ecstasy was enough to stop her heart from beating.

Shaking her head, Hermione tried to chase the lecherous thoughts from her mind. She wondered if Theo would want to go all the way soon. Hermione knew _she_ was endlessly fascinated by the idea, wanting to know what it would feel like to be completely filled by him. She knew, though, that he wasn't likely to give into the idea prior to a more firm understanding. It would be crossing a line that they couldn't undo.

They danced together until the end of the party, when everyone except her Uncle Lucius had been sent home. He was going to escort her back to Grimmauld Place. They joined Alfred in the parlor to discuss their futures.

"Theodore. I must say I find Miss Black to be delightful. She is quite pretty and clearly intelligent and well bred." Hermione was a bit rankled that he was talking about her as though she wasn't even there. Still, she plastered a smile on her face. "Truthfully, I was a bit worried she was going to be like Bellatrix."

Theo swallowed next to her. "Thank you father. I was pleased that my friendship with Hermione has been able to grow into more. I could only ever hope for a mutual respect with a future bride, but with Hermione, I feel that more is possible." He looked at her, his devastating green eyes unable to leave her face.

Hermione's heart warmed. Although he hadn't outright said it, she knew that he was suggesting that he could grow to love her.

Alfred nodded, not particularly moved by his son's sentiments. Love was not required in pureblood marriages, but it wasn't scorned either. "I will have formal courtship papers drawn up and sent to Hermione's father in the morning."

"Excellent news." Her Uncle Lucius said with a warm grin. Hermione was surprised that he seemed to be genuinely happy for her. She always knew that her Uncle liked her, but she was certainly surprised that he could be happy for someone else.

Theo's warm hand tightened around her's in excitement. "I will expect a formal engagement to be made over the Christmas holidays." Alfred said with finality.

Hermione felt dizzy with excitement, joy expanding in her chest. Theo walked her to the fireplace so that she might head home, before giving her a chaste kiss on the lips goodnight. Hermione barely registered her Uncle following her through to hand her off to her papa.

* * *

When Hermione returned to the house the night of Theo's birthday party, she'd been so excited over the prospect of the _officialness_ of her relationship that she'd completely forgotten about the bit of parchment she'd stolen from Theo's father and her meeting with Voldemort.

Now, though, the following morning, she was reminded once again of its existence when she spotted the whiteness of the paper sticking out from the heap she'd left her dress in on the floor. Excitedly, she leapt from bed, hissing when her bare feet touched the cold hardwood of her room. Once she'd received the document, though, she quickly got back in bed.

The parchment described a new charm that had been created to help track down Undesirables, which Hermione knew meant Potter's little crew. It was horrifyingly simple really, just a trigger based charm, which would report back location of anyone who said the name "Voldemort."

Of course, Potter and his little friends were the only ones brave or rash or stupid enough to actually say it.

The application of the charm was a bit more of a particularity. Hermione couldn't even begin to understand the complexities of the charms work, and it must have been created by a master. Was Alfred Nott a Charms Master, she wondered? The handwriting on the notes was certainly his, as she recognized it from his earlier note to Theo.

Hermione was excited and quickly threw on a robe so that she could go share this with her papa. This would be a tremendous help to the Order. She found him sitting in the kitchen, eating a rather hearty looking breakfast.

She smiled as she sat down, sliding the parchment across the table. "Aside from charming my future father-in-law last night, I was also able to do a bit of reconnaissance. I found this." She said, triumphantly. She was excessively pleased with herself.

She watched as her papa's eyes widened as he read the document. "Where on earth did you get this, Hermione?" He asked. This was big. Who knows how many people would have been caught by this so called taboo if they hadn't known.

"Alfred Nott's study." She said, wanting to leave out the part about getting caught. "It's a copy so he shouldn't notice." She'd obviously asuaged Alfred's fears the night before, so she saw no point in worrying her papa needlessly.

Her papa gave her one of those crooked grins that he sometimes had. "Hermione, this is excellent work. I will have to let Remus know." He was excited. This felt like actually making a difference. This was not sitting through hours of boring Wizengamot meetings trying to learn just who was on Vold-He-who-must-not-be-named's side.

"And another thing." She said, her voice a bit more sullen this time. "The Dark Lord spoke to me at the party. He asked if I might join Theo in taking the Dark Mark. I told him I'd like to give house Nott an heir first." Hermione saw Sirius's annoyed look at that. "Papa, it was a good excuse! But, it does kind of put a timeline on all this. I want to be free of him." She whispered, remembering the odd feeling that Voldemort gave off. "And there was something odd about him. It was a feeling, almost like something was whispering or buzzing in my ear. There is something unnatural about him."

"Of course there is something unnatural about him, he came back from the dead!" Sirius groused. "And he's the definition of dark magic. You know it leaves a mark."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It wasn't just dark magic, papa. I've never felt that with anyone else before. If it is, its the darkest, most evil magic in the world."

"Alright, I will be sure to mention it to Remus as well, when he gets here." Sirius promised, making a move to call the werewolf. Remus had created a protean charm on a fake that he could call him on.

"Well, just wait until after I get back to Hogwarts. I would hate for Headmaster Snape to figure out something wasn't right here at Grimmauld Place." Hermione said, pleased to know that she'd made a difference. "I only have an hour left with you this morning, before I have to return to school and I don't want to be competing with Remus for your attention."

Sirius agreed and they spent the rest of their breakfast - Kreacher was always willing to make a disgustingly extravagant brunch whenever his perfect little miss was home - chatting about the party last night. Hermione wasn't able to describe it with much detail, mostly because she'd been so focused on what she wanted to do with Theo when they were alone.

Her papa had, unfortunately, picked up on that, and her platitudes that Mr. Nott expected an engagement in just a couple months did little to make him feel better about it. He quickly changed the topic to transfiguration - a class that both Hermione and Sirius excelled in, though, they had differing opinions on Minerva McGonagall.

All too soon, it was time for Hermione to return to Hogwarts. With a fierce hug to her papa, she said goodbye and made her way through the fireplace, back to the castle.

* * *

When Hermione returned to the Slytherin girls' dorms, she wasn't expecting anyone to be there. But still, the faint, quiet sniffling alerted her to the other girl's presence immediately. Hermione certainly wasn't expecting that Millie would be the one crying.

"Millie? What's happened?" Hermione asked quietly, but the poor girl was startled none the less.

The large girl looked momentarily horrified, before softening, seeing that it was just Hermione in the room. "Oh, it's, just, you." The girl said, taking large gasps of air, trying to get a hold of her sobbing.

Hermione sat next to Millie on her bed, ankles neatly folded, and patted her hand on Millie's back. "Millie, tell me what's wrong." She said, trying to sound soothing, but commanding.

It worked. "It's awful Hermione. I don't know why I ever did it. I just wanted to make friends and then Pansy was _so_ militant about it." Her eyes were wild, like a wounded animal. "I just thought lying would be easier. And really, it wasn't a lie, I just didn't correct her."

"You aren't making any sense, Millie. Why don't you start from the beginning?" Hermione was getting frustrated. If Millie and Pansy had just had a fight about something stupid, she was going to be annoyed that she wasted her time trying to help.

"I'm a half-blood." Millie whispered quietly, as if saying it out loud would send her to Azkaban.

Hermione wanted to scoff, thinking that it wasn't a big deal, but also that it couldn't possibly be true. "But Millie, your mother is a Flint." Hermione had memorized the pedigrees of all of her friends, _of course_.

"No, my mother isn't my mother. She couldn't have children. So my father...well, he needed an heir, but I'm a half-blood." She explained, deflating when the weight of the truth was lifted from her shoulders. "And Amycus Carrow found out, and he told me he was going to punish me in front of the _whole school_ for masquerading as a pureblood."

Hermione felt icy fear pool in her belly. Wasn't that exactly what _she_ was doing? Masquerading as a pureblood?

"Please, Hermione, you have to help me." Millie begged. Hermione cringed seeing the normally strong girl seem so weak and afraid. She hated the Death Eaters even more in this moment.

"Wouldn't you be better off asking Pansy for help?" Hermione asked. She and Millie weren't friends, they never had been all because of Pansy's need to be the best in Slytherin.

"No, Pansy hates anyone _less_ than pureblood and, and, you're not like that, are you Hermione? You've always been so _nice_ to everyone, and you're friends with Tracey, right? Even though she's just a half-blood."

Hermione cringed. Even when she was begging for help, she was still so condescending about blood status. Hermione knew that she even did it herself sometimes. It was insidious. "Don't say it like that." Hermione hissed, before regretting snapping at the already frightened girl. "Alright, yes, I will help you." She conceded.

"You will? No one will know?" Millie looked hopeful, so hopeful.

"Yes, I will take care of Carrow. He won't even remember that you are a half-blood." Hermione said grimly, all the while, her mind whirring over how to handle it.

* * *

Remus and Sirius always met at the muggle pub about two miles walk from Grimmauld Place, the Founders Arms, a dark seedy hole in the wall. Remus privately thought that Sirius picked it so that he could actually wear his muggle jeans he had hidden away, but he knew that they were also unlikely to see anyone that knew either of them.

He waited at the back booth for Sirius, who had unexpectedly called him that morning. Though it was fortuitous as he had something for Sirius as well. It didn't take long for the dark hair animagus to slip into the side opposite him, sliding over a piece of parchment. "A little from Hermione, a little from me."

Remus read over the parchment greedily, detailing the taboo curse. It was inventive, he'd give the Death Eaters that. "Where did you get this?" He asked, eager to know more.

"Hermione got it off Alfred Nott's desk. She's courting the younger one." Sirius said, noticing Remus's surprise that Hermione was in a courtship. "What, she's in love with him. And it's useful." Remus seemed a bit placated, but not convinced. "Anyway, the bit from me is that they are beginning a registry of wands, under the guise of discovering which wizard or witch the mudbloods - shite, sorry - stole them off."

"How do they plan to do that? Everyone would have to submit their own details, it would be self-reported." Remus was confused as it seemed a bit easy to get out of the registry. You could just lie.

Sirius shook his head, smirking at Remus. "Moony, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. We both know that practically all of England has gotten their wand from one shop, and we both know that that man has never forgotten a wand that he's sold. So get him into hiding, like, today." Remus nodded, making a note to himself to find Ollivander personally. "Hermione also met the Dark Lord. She said that there was something dark and unnatural beyond typical dark magic about him."

"I might be able to help with that." Remus said, sliding a scrap of paper across the table. He watched the up and down emotions on his face, as he realized it was his brother's work. "Recognize the initials?" Sirius nodded, thinking of his brother. "We have reason to believe that the horcrux still exists. He couldn't have destroyed it by conventional means. Will you check Grimmauld Place?"

His friend nodded, unwilling to give up the scrap of paper. "Yes, I will let you know what I find."

* * *

"Please Daphne." Hermione begged. "Say you will help me." Hermione had found her blonde friend in the greenhouses after searching practically the whole school for her.

"Why are you helping Millie again? She's never been particularly nice before." Daphne sneered. "Do you honestly think that she would do the same for you if the tables were turned?" Hermione swallowed. Soon, the tables _would_ be turned, and she would find out just who her real friends were.

"Because it's the right thing to do." Hermione said insistently. "I won't stoop to her level just because she wouldn't return the favor. Millie needs our help and...I won't have her tortured in front of the whole school over something so silly."

"It is silly, isn't it?" Daphne asked, truly serious. "It's not as if Millie had any _choice_ in the matter." Hermione felt her heart soar. Maybe Daphne wasn't as ingrained into pureblood supremacy as she sometimes seemed. "Alright, what do you need me to do?"

"I just need you to distract Professor Carrow so that I can sneak into the office disillusioned and take care of him. He won't even remember that we were there." Hermione said. She needed Daphne because you'd have to be blind to miss the looks Amycus sent his young student during classes.

"Distract him how?" Daphne asked, her lips together.

They began walking to Carrows office. He always held office hours on Sundays, though no one ever came to visit him. "Just...come on Daphne, smile at him, bat your eyes, push your tits out. Just make sure he's distracted." Hermione said frustratedly, ignoring Daphne's gasp at her use of vulgarity. How she could be shocked by one word, when she was the one who described oral sex to her was beyond Hermione.

When they arrived at the office, Hermione disillusioned herself while Daphne knocked on the door. Amycus opened the door, a surprised but pleased smile at seeing Daphne there. "Why, Miss Greengrass. What a lovely surprise."

Hermione was barely able to get into the room, trailing after Daphne. "Good afternoon Professor." Hermione was shocked to hear the breathy quality of Daphne's voice. Merlin, she was a great actress, wasn't she? "I was having a little trouble with the eviscerating hex you taught us in class, and I would so hate to disappoint _you_ on next week's quiz." She leaned forward on his desk, her breasts displayed between her two arms.

Hermione rolled her eyes seeing Amycus's eyes glaze over, unable to remove them from Daphne's form. He wouldn't have even seen her coming up behind him if he was clearly visible. It was a bit disappointing, really. He was meant to be a master of the Dark Arts, and here he was distracted by a school girl. She expected so much more.

Hermione pointed her wand at the back of his head, slowly twisting. " _Obliviate_." She whispered quietly. The man slumped forward on his desk when the spell had worked it's course. Hermione removed the charm from herself and made eye contact with Daphne.

The girl was shivering. "What did you do to him?" She asked, clearly unconcerned with _his_ well being, more curious about what had happened.

"I took away his memories of today." Hermione said dully, as if she hadn't just performed a highly illegal spell on someone without their knowledge or consent. "Come on, let's get out of here."

* * *

Hermione had been mostly flying under the radar of the Carrows since school had started, but she knew that it would come to an end one day. She had been on her way to study in the library with Theo, when she heard her name being called from down the hallway. "You, Black! Come here now."

She was horrified to see that it was Alecto Carrow, who had her hand grasping the white collar of a little first year boy, Gryffindor, and she just knew that she was going to asked to punish him. Hermione had no love lost for the brash, rash, _annoying_ Gryffindors, but she doubted that this little boy had done something worthy of any punishment, let alone an unforgiveable curse.

Hermione swallowed thickly and walked towards the woman, trying to hide her shivers of fear. She'd been very aware of Alecto Carrow's lingering looks at her during Muggle Studies, when Hermione could recite Wizarding customs that Narcissa had drilled into her when she was young. But she never examined what the looks meant, quite like she was sure Daphne had never thought about why Amycus was so interested in her.

"You look so _much_ like Bellatrix." The woman said, releasing the boy's collar - he was crying - and instead grabbed one of Hermione's unruly curls and gave it a little tug. "Let's see if you're as skilled with the Cruciatus as she is as well."

"What did he do?" Hermione asked, her eyes trained on the little boy, who looked scared out of his mind to be facing _her_.

"Does it matter?" Alecto asked, taking another step closer to her. "I didn't ask you to decide his punishment, just to dole it out." Her voice was hard, grating, like nails on a chalkboard, and then she was pressing her body against Hermione's side, her hot breath on Hermione's neck filling her with roiling disgust.

Hermione kept her face impassive, but she couldn't help but wish she was brave like Ginny Weasley or Seamus Finnigan, who would refuse to do the Carrows bidding, and take the beatings instead, before hiding away in the Room of Requirement. Yes, Hermione knew all about that, but she wasn't about to tell the _Carrows_ where they were hiding.

But Hermione wasn't a brave and courageous Gryffindor, and it would be too odd if Hermione _Black_ did anything but what was asked of her when it came to Dark Magic. She didn't get through the last sixteen years to blow her cover like this.

She raised her wand and noticed that her hand was shaking, but her voice did not waiver. " _Crucio._ " The little boy began screaming almost instantly, and it seemed that she was particularly gifted with this unforgiveable _just_ like her cousin Bellatrix. Alecto was pressed up against her, cackling in her ear, taking pleasure in the boy sprawled on the floor wetting himself.

But then, she ended the curse, and Alecto was hauling the boy up from the floor and taking him Merlin knows where, and Hermione was left there all alone in the hallway. And she realized she was crying. That had been...she'd never been so disgusted with herself in her life. This was _real_ and she was an awful person.

"You're not a terrible person, Hermione Black." A dreamy sort of voice filtered into her mind, and then she was sharply aware of the other presence in the hallway. The girl Luna, who everyone called Loony, was one of Harry Potter's little crew.

"How can you say that?" Hermione snapped. "You don't even know me. If you saw what I'd just done..."

"We have to pick and choose our battles." Luna said, staring at Hermione in a way that made her feel like she was naked, exposed. "You can't be fighting all the time Hermione. You'll never win."

"You don't even _know_ me." Hermione countered, feeling vulnerable and ashamed and angry at herself for just going along with everything, but she didn't have any other _choice_ and it was just so much pressure. She was buckling.

"I know a lot of things, Hermione." Luna said, giving her a dreamy smile. "And I see a lot of things that others don't notice."


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: This story has just surprassed 700 reviews and I am so blown away by the support! Thank you so so much! Huge thank you to everyone whose favorited or followed this story as well. I can't believe it's all coming to an end...only five chapters left! The next few chapters are pretty fast paced, so hold onto your horses. You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour), where I post some sneak peaks and the like. New Neville x Hermione story came out yesterday, so check that out if you'd like. Also, new Tomione one shot out tomorrow - exciting week here for me!

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-seven and be on the lookout for chapter twenty-eight soon!

* * *

The rest of fall term passed by quickly, with Hermione trying to focus most of her effort on her winter exams, and not on the horrified feeling of being stretched two ways. She hated the things that were expected of all students. She hated even more the fact that there was nothing that she could do to stop it.

Her only reprieve was spending time with Theo, though it was few and far between. Although they had enjoyed being free from scrutiny while they were just dating, now that they were officially courting, Draco always seemed to be around whenever Theo's hands dipped just a bit too low or too high.

It was frustrating Hermione, but she knew that keeping her _virtue_ in tact was just a way for Draco to distract himself, though she sometimes wanting to tell him all the things that she and Theo had done before that still kept her virginity in tact. She could just imagine the pink color he would turn.

Still, all of her thoughts of Theo were tinged with fear and worry about how he would take the fact that she'd been lying to him for the last seven years. It _would_ eventually come out, Hermione knew, but she just didn't know if he would ever be able to forgive her.

That was why, when she finally got home to Grimmauld Place, she had already made up her mind to get her papa to see her side. "Please papa, we both know what's happening tomorrow night. You have to let me tell him." She and her papa had been invited to Malfoy Manor for dinner, and Alfred and Theo Nott would be joining them.

"It's too dangerous Hermione. Think about what he could do with that information! I refuse to put you in harm's way." Her papa said, his gray eyes were sad. He looked tired, worn out, and Hermione once again felt a bit of rage at Dumbledore bubble up inside her. He'd been the source of all this.

"But papa, I know Theo...he, I _love_ him, papa! And I know that he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize my safety." Hermione said, thinking of the soft, knowing look in Theo's eyes whenever she'd been made to do something awful in Dark Arts class. The soft kisses he would press into the top of her head. "He doesn't want to take the mark and I know he hates what's going on just as much as I do."

"You can't be sure, Hermione. This is reckless." He said, knowing that she was probably right, that he was asking for too much, that this was her tipping point, but he couldn't give in. The fear of losing the person most important to him was overwhelming.

He'd lost his best friend because he'd put his trust, James's safety, in someone else's - other than his own - hands. He wouldn't allow something similar to happen to Hermione, his sweet daughter.

"Papa, please. I would have already told him, if the vow didn't stop me." Hermione felt tears in her eyes, her voice thick because her throat was so tight trying to hold back a sob. "I love him so much."

"Soon, Hermione. Just hold on a bit longer." Sirius said. "Harry is making progress and...it will all be over soon, and then you can tell Theo." Sirius thought back to the request Remus had made of him - retrieve a locket from his brother Regulus's room, which had been untouched since he died. He was sickened to know that a little bit of Voldemort had been living with them and was only too happy to give it away.

"I...I guess if I'm not going to change your mind, there's no point in us continuing this conversation." Hermione said, her shoulders slouched. She felt as if everything had been taken from her.

"If...if he loves you as much as you think he does, he'll understand." Sirius said. He looked confident, but Hermione was unsure. She hoped that he was right.

* * *

Dinner had been a lovely affair at Malfoy Manor, before the initial tensions. It was clear that Alfred Nott did not care for, or approve of her papa, or vis versa, but Hermione watched proudly as her papa swallowed his dislike and shake Alfred's hand and just charmed the rest of the room for _her._

She knew that her papa had done a lot, given up so much for her, and it made her heart ache. But she had given a lot to him, as well.

Alfred continued to be enchanted with her, to Hermione's surprise. Who knew that a passing interest in rare dark curse texts would be her in with such a dangerous man? He'd sent her one additional text, and Theo had been pleased that his father had approved of her so thoroughly.

Hermione knew that she and Theo made a fine match in their Yule finery. They had unintentionally matched, Hermione wearing blue crushed velvet, and Theo in a matching blue shirt.

Everyone knew why they were all there, though, so when Theo dropped to one knee during cocktails, a bright white diamond offered up to her, no one was surprised. Narcissa looked pleased holding onto Lucius's arm, and Alfred looked proud of his son. Her papa looked melancholy. He was pleased for her of course, but he knew that this meant that he was not always going to be the most important person in her life. At least she knew he genuinely liked Theo.

Hermione could think of no other answer to give, but a resounding yes, and sighed in momentary pleasure when he slid the heirloom ring onto her finger. Standing from the floor, Theo wrapped her in an embrace and pressed a kiss against her lips, his hand tangling in her hair when she opened her mouth to his. A polite clearing of throats broke the two lovebirds from their embrace, and with pink cheeks they followed the others into the dining room for a celebratory meal.

Aunt Narcissa wasted no time in firming up the details. "When do you think you will hold the wedding? Over the Easter break perhaps?" She asked eagerly, her eyes bright.

Hermione choked on her wine. "Oh, no Aunt Narcissa, I couldn't possibly plan a wedding and study for my NEWTs at the same time. Not until after graduation, I think. But then again, Theo and I haven't really discussed it yet." She said, looking shyly at her _fiance_ through sooty lashes.

"Whenever you want, love." Theo said, his face lighting up for the first time in months. Hermione felt her heart clench at just how _attractive_ he was when he was this carefree. His light green eyes filled with mirth, over a long straight nose and kissable lips. "Though, we do have the perfect spot on at my family's home for the ceremony. You can feel the old magic there."

"Summer then." Narcissa said brightly. "Now, if we could just find Draco someone that he might find acceptable, then I could rest happy." Seeing Draco's stricken face, Hermione knew that it was the last thing he wanted to think about.

There was so much more going on besides weddings, it was almost criminal to think about planning an extravagant wedding, but Hermione knew that it was just Narcissa's coping mechanism. She could pretend her son was safe if she was just arranging a marriage for him.

* * *

After dessert, Lucius invited Sirius into his study for drinks, while the rest of the guests shared coffee in the other room. It was quite a hodgepodge of people, and Sirius couldn't imagine what they would talk about, but he knew Hermione was safe for now.

"Congratulations are in order, Black. Hermione has made herself an excellent match. Nott is the epitome of pureblood - they even wrote the book on it." Lucius said, handing him a cigar, with a smarmy little smile.

Sirius suppressed a grimace at the mention of Cantankerous Nott's little pureblood directory. He'd been forced to memorize it as a child, and had gotten a wrap on the hand for every name that he forgot. "Yes, I am mostly just pleased that she is happy with him. Theo's a good lad." It was true, really. As much as he'd wanted to hate the tall young man, he was actually quite likable.

"Yes, well, as we've talked before, Hermione is now settled with a pureblood of high standing and well, it's time Black." Lucius said, all levity removed from his voice.

"Time for what?" Sirius was perplexed.

"Time for you to take the mark." Lucius said. "The Notts will take care of Hermione should anything happen to you."

Sirius snapped back, almost burnt by the suggestion. "The Notts could still break the engagement and then she would be alone and practically jilted. Who would look after her _then_?" Sirius asked his cousin-in-law, before shaking his head. "No, I refuse to do anything like that until she's married this summer."

"Black, you are starting to sound unreasonable." Lucius replied, a little smirk on his face. "I would hate to think that you aren't loyal to our cause."

"You know I am loyal, Lucius. Just look at all the good I did this summer in the Wizengamot. We got the mudbloods out of Hogwarts, didn't we?" Sirius said, the word filling his mouth like poison. "And I've always financed your Lord's cause."

"Yes, yes, I suppose that's true."

"Lucius, listen. Hermione is...Hermione is the only good I've done in my life. She's what brought be back to the fold, and I can't jeopardize her safety and reputation. I refuse to do that." Sirius said, letting some of his emotion slip through his words. It was true. "As soon as she is married, then we can talk again."

That seemed to appease Lucius, to Sirius's surprise. He supposed maybe old Lucius really did care more about his son beyond him just being the heir to his house. They both had to look out for their children's safety, and Sirius knew that Lucius hadn't always put Draco first.

"I will tell Narcissa that she should plan for a June wedding then. Hermione will make a beautiful bride." Lucius said, pleased, knowing that it would give Narcissa something to focus on, other than worrying about Draco.

Sirius swallowed. He hoped that this would all be over by June. He knew that Hermione would understand if he had to take the Dark Mark, but he couldn't imagine that she would ever forgive him if she got married to Theo before telling him the truth about herself.

Still, he knew that he had to do what was best for her, even if she didn't see it that way initially. Just being around Alfred Nott gave him chills, and even though he seemed to enjoy Hermione, he couldn't imagine that he'd be happy to learn that she'd been lying all these years, and he would do anything to keep her _out_ of his family if he learned the truth.

* * *

The holidays had been a pleasant break in the intense pressure that Hogwarts was fostering, and Hermione found it harder than ever to try to balance her two sides after things had been so normal. Her Slytherin friends had been quick to congratulate Hermione and Theo on their engagement, though Hermione still felt awfully about not being able to tell Theo the truth.

They were all taking bets on who would be engaged next, though, Hermione thought that it was unlikely to happen with the war going on. There were too many incidents to have parents focusing on making a smart match for their children.

The other side of Hermione was reminded that she was expected to do awful things here, and relish in them. Not only that, but students were beginning to disappear as well. Luna Lovegood hadn't returned from winter break, and Hermione couldn't imagine where she would be. She didn't know why, but she was genuinely concerned with the dreamy girl's safety.

One day, after Dark Arts class, in which they'd been made to practice the Crucio on one another, Hermione felt herself beginning to crack under the pressure. She'd been paired with Hannah Abbott again, and she hated to see the pure loathing in the girl's eyes. Hermione wanted to shout at her - what was she expected to do? She couldn't just refuse!

Her muscles were sore from getting the Cruciatus herself when it was Abbott's turn to retaliate. When the bell rang signalling that class was over, Hermione practically ran from the room, feeling tears form in her eyes. She took a gasping breath, feeling completely overwhelmed.

An arm wrapped around her shoulders and lead her from the room. "Come on, let's go to the dorms and talk." Theo whispered in her ear.

Normally she'd argue with him about skipping classes, but she was so upset that she just nodded. In any case, she'd never skipped a class before, so she doubted that it would be too much of an issue.

Theo ushered her to sit down, and Hermione realized that he'd taken her up to the boys' dorms, and she was on his bed. Theo wiped away some of the tears that had formed in her eyes. "What's wrong Hermione?"

"I can't do this any more, Theo." She told him, her voice catching with a hiccup. "I...I feel so awfully being made to...to punish people just because their parents aren't pureblood. It's not _right_ Theo. They're just children."

She stared into his green eyes, knowing that this was the closest she'd ever come to telling him about her feelings on the matter of blood purity. To her immense delight, he was looking back at her with understanding. "I know, Hermione, I hate it too. But it's only a few more months and then we will be out of school."

"But what about after, Theo? What about, you know, you taking the mark?" She asked, hope swelling in her heart that he might feel the same way as she did.

"I don't want to, but...I can't think of any good reason that I can refuse." Theo admitted, pressing his forehead against hers. "It's hopeless, I'm afraid."

In that moment, Hermione promised herself that they would end this war _before_ Theo had to take the dark mark. She wasn't going to let him do that just because he couldn't think of any other alternative. And, it gave her hope that he wouldn't see her true allegiances as too much of an issue.

Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against his, slowly pushing him back against the pillows. She perched herself on top of him, groaning when she settled against him fully, feeling his hardness between their clothes from just one kiss. She loved that he reacted so strongly to her, as she did to him.

Eager, she began removing the buttons from his shirt. She needed this right now, to know that Theo was real and whole and she needed to be as close to him as she could possibly get. Hermione sighed into the kiss when he returned the favor, pushing her white oxford from her shoulders.

She sat up and reached around her body to undo the clasp to her bra, pulling it away, revealing herself to him. She resisted the urge to cover herself, knowing that Theo rather enjoyed the look of her small, perky breasts, even if she had lingering insecurities about them. His groan of desire and unintentional roll of his hips gave her confidence to continue on.

When her greedy fingers found their way to Theo's zip, he finally grabbed her hands, though by the look on his face, she knew he wanted nothing more than for her to keep going. "Hermione, we should stop. You are still upset and I don't want to take advantage of you." He said, regretfully.

Hermione shook her head, sending her wild curls around her. "Please Theo, I just want to be close to you. I promise that you aren't taking advantage of me. I just...everything feels so uncertain with this war, but I am certain that I love you, and...I want you to make love to me." Her brown eyes stared down at him, her heart totally bare to him.

Theo smiled brightly at her, hearing her confession. Of course, he'd assumed that she loved him, but to actually hear the words had his heart swelling in joy. "I love you too." He said honestly, before flipping her around so that she laid on the bed, with him cradled in between her legs. "Are you sure you're ready. We should really wait until we're married...I wouldn't want anything bad to happen."

She regained her breath after being flipped, over the moon to hear that he returned her affections. "I'm sure Theo. We're already engaged and we'll be married in just a few months. I don't know what bad could happen." She replied, though in the back of her head, the niggling feeling that they might never get married once he learned the truth about her remained.

Theo's cheek turned bright pink. "I know the contraceptive charm. I've been practicing...just in case." He waved his wand over her stomach, positive that it worked when she glowed a light pink for a moment, and then worked to remove the rest of their clothing.

Hermione didn't know what to know what much to expect when it came to sex because the manual that Aunt Narcissa had given her had told her that it would be incredibly painful the first time, and a mild annoyance in subsequent sessions. But, then again, the book never told her how glorious an orgasm felt either.

They kissed until Hermione was impatient and involuntarily rolling her hips against the scalding hot flesh against her leg. Theo peppered her breasts with kisses, all the while using his thumb to circle the button on the top of her sex. Once her lips were slick with the evidence of her lust and she could easily accept two of his long fingers, Theo stopped and pulled back and asked once more if she was positive.

Giving him the affirmative, Hermione did her best to relax while he lined himself up to her center, before slowly pressing in. There was a slight pinch, but nothing like the painful experience the book had described, to Hermione's joy. Once he was fully settled inside of her, swearing under his breath, Theo waited for Hermione to adjust to his size.

He felt glorious inside of her, and for once in her life Hermione felt whole and complete and she was glad that she'd convinced him to do this. When he started to move, in slow, insistent strokes, Hermione couldn't help the gasp. There was nothing in the book to describe how this felt. "Oh, Theo!"

Theo sped up his thrusts into her and let his hand come between them, seeking out her clit, wanting to see her, wanting to feel her come done around him. She felt better, wetter, hotter than anything he'd ever imagined and he wasn't sure he was going to be able to last much longer.

Acting instinctually, Hermione wrapped her legs around his trim waist, pulling him further within her with each thrust. Hermione closed her eyes, letting the sensations wash over her, and she was close, so close to the edge of orgasm. Her body went taut as a bow when she finally crested the wave, moaning Theo's name in residual pleasure, as she felt herself contracting around him.

Theo thrust into her a bit harder, faster, and then, he was coming as well, collapsing onto his elbows, his face buried in her shoulder, surrounded by her wild, brown curls. "Merlin, Hermione, I love you." He whispered into her ear.

Hermione smiled, wrapping her arms around his sweaty body. "I love you too, Theo. More than anything."

* * *

Easter break came around earlier than she was expecting, and Hermione was a bit disappointed to be headed home. Theo had told his father that he wanted to stay behind at Hogwarts to study for his NEWTs, thinking that it would put more distance between him and the other Death Eaters.

Hermione wished that she was staying behind with Theo, as it would give them a little bit of alone time. She just knew that Draco knew that they were having sex, and so he was always popping up at inopportune moments, though he hadn't said anything directly to either of them.

Still, she'd thought she could have a relaxing week with her papa, just the two of them, so she _had_ been excited to return home. That was until her papa had been called away for "business" which Hermione was perplexed on what it could be. Was it for the Order or was it some other nefarious deal he was being forced to participate in?

He'd written to her, as she was unable to remain at the castle with such little notice, to tell her that she should return to Malfoy Manor with Draco. He thought it would be a good chance for her and Narcissa to discuss wedding plans. Hermione couldn't imagine anything she'd like to do less, remembering her brutal lessons the summer before.

When she and Draco got off the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross, Uncle Lucius was waiting for them, and immediately, Hermione knew that something was wrong. He was unshaven and his hair was messy and dirty. She'd never seen her Uncle looking so despondent and unkempt before.

In any case, she took his hand and they apparated back to the manor. As soon as they arrived, she could hear Bellatrix cackling, and she knew that they must be having unpleasant company for the holidays. Or perhaps all the time, if Uncle Lucius's appearance was anything to go off of.

Immediately, Hermione felt dread settle into her stomach. She'd been looking forward to a weak away from the horrors of everyday life at Hogwarts, but it appeared that she was in for a very tense vacation.

* * *

It had barely been two days into her Easter vacation when things went horribly, wildly, out of control. Hermione didn't know what she was expecting when Uncle Lucius sent for her and Draco, but it certainly wasn't a Gryffindor trio, emaciated and nearly broken to be standing in the drawing room of Malfoy Manor.

She gripped Draco's hand so tightly when Bellatrix asked them if it was Harry Potter she thought she might break his fingers. His face had been hit by a stinging hex, so it was swollen and misshapen. Hermione could barely see the pink outline of a scar on his forehead, but there was no mistaking that it _was_ Harry Potter, and Longbottom and Weasley with him just made it more damning.

Hermione watched as Draco's nostrils flared, but he waffled, saying that he wasn't positive that it was Potter. Hermione didn't add anything to the assessment. Instead, she was seething inside, upset that they'd been so stupid as to get caught. They'd said the Dark Lord's name, apparently forgetting about the taboo that they'd been dodging all year when they were on the run.

When Bellatrix ordered Potter and Weasley to be taken down to the dungeons with the others, her eyebrows raised. She was staying in a home that had _prisoners_ in its dungeons? It made her furious. But then, she realized that Longbottom was left standing there, looking proud, towering over Bellatrix. She asked about a sword Longbottom had had, but he didn't respond.

The first crucio brought him to his knees, and the second had him flat on his back on the oriental rug. "Let's see if you last longer than mummy did, baby Longbottom." Hermione felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, knowing that Bellatrix had singled Longbottom out because it was her own kind of psychological torture.

"How did you get in my vault?" Bellatrix screeched. Hearing his pained shouts were nearly unbearable, but she knew that she had to keep it together. Or try to keep it together, really, seeing as she was very, _very_ close to snapping. It wasn't right what Bellatrix was doing...how were all of these people just standing by and watching? How was she just standing by and watching? He tried to tell her that they didn't go in her vault.

When Bellatrix sat on Neville's chest and began to cut small little cuts on his chest, the blood welling up, Hermione felt a single tear fall down her face. "What else did you take from my vault?" Merlin, she felt so helpless, just standing here. Neville had nearly screamed so loud that he lost his voice and his was reduced to a mass of whimpers now, unable to do anything to stop Bellatrix.

Just when she thought she was going to lose it, she was already stepping closer to Bellatrix, a commotion stopped her. She was surprised to see that Potter, Weasley, a goblin and Luna Lovegood come running up the stairs, bursting into the room. Bellatrix pressed her knife against Neville's throat, threatening to kill him there if they made one wrong move, using him to shield her body.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Huge thank you to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter! Big shout out to my reviewers too! Here is the moment we've been waiting for! This chapter is pretty quick paced, and it's got the final battle in it. It's not too intense, but I hope it fulfills what you've wanted in terms of revenge.

I would love to hear what you have to think about chapter twenty-eight! Be on the lookout for chapter twenty-nine soon!

* * *

With the recently escaped prisoners suddenly making an appearance, things had escalated quickly. Bellatrix held Neville's form in front of her body, using him as a human shield, so that they wouldn't shoot any spells at her, unless they hit their friend. To further confound the situation, he had a knife tightly pressed against his neck, a warning that she would slit his throat if they made any wrong moves.

But, Bellatrix never checked behind her, and Hermione was able to stun her cousin without a second thought. Hermione pushed Longbottom forward towards his friends, before grabbing onto his hand, and Potter's, needing to get away from Malfoy Manor before the other people in the room understood what was happening. "Grab on!" She demanded, before centering herself. Five people was a lot of people to side-along, especially over international boarders.

She closed her eyes tightly, she thought of her destination, and was unable to keep quiet from the overwhelming pressure of the apparition. She couldn't think of a more demanding act of magic than what she was doing right now. When she opened her eyes again, they were standing in her family's home in France. And she was surrounded by three boys with drawn wands, but at least none of them were splinched.

Taking a deep breath, she kept calm. "I need to speak to Remus." She said, confidently, knowing that the werewolf would keep her safe.

The boys all looked confused, and seemed to have a secret conference between themselves, before Potter made and executive decision. "Dobby!" A small house elf that Hermione thought she'd seen around Hogwarts before appeared. He was so excited to see Harry Potter, and was ready to follow any order that Potter commanded. "I need you to take us all to Shell Cottage."

* * *

Hermione sat in the little back bedroom with Neville Longbottom while the others were in the living room, trying to decide what to do with her. As soon as Remus had seen her, he sent a patronus off to her father to lock down Grimmauld Place. Even now she could hear Luna Lovegood and Remus passionately arguing her case. She didn't think she'd ever heard Luna raise her voice before.

Neville laid in the bed, his shirt off, and he looked intensely embarrassed to be without a shirt on in front of her. Hermione noted, with a frown, that all three boys were woefully underweight. She smiled at him, while she uncorked a bit of dittany to heal the little cuts Bellatrix had made. "All these months on the run and none of you know how to do a bit of healing?" Hermione asked. Even though they were currently arguing over how to deal with her, it seemed that she was the only one who knew how to help their injured friend.

He returned her smile. "It didn't seem like a priority at the beginning, but...it certainly would have been smart to at least pick up a book of healing spells to take with us. I got tons of stuff on warding magic from my family's library, but nothing on healing spells."

Hermione noted that he was still trembling slightly. The cruciatus would do that to you. Hermione cast a numbing spell that would give his abused nerve endings a rest, even though that wasn't the way the spell was intended to be used. "The tremors should go away in a few days, but that will help a bit with the pain for now." She told him, feeling guilty that she'd stood by him for so long, watching him be tortured.

"How do you know?" He asked, his voice intense, curious.

She grimaced, before deciding to tell him the truth. She'd already outed herself to Draco's family, so there was no point in keeping secrets any longer. "Amycus Carrow makes us practice the Unforgivables in Dark Arts class." She looked away from his eyes, embarrassed. "Hannah Abbott is particularly vicious for a partner." Hermione didn't want to, but she'd begun to loathe the blonde girl.

"I'm sorry." Neville apologized to her. Hermione was surprised, looking at him in confusion. She'd never noticed that he'd such green eyes before. They weren't the same, but it made her long for Theo. He would know just what to say to make her feel better. "Why did you help us?"

Hermione tried to think of a reasonable answer that she could give him without it breaking her Wizard's Oath, and oath she'd taken when she was only eight. She knew that Remus was arguing for her, even though she couldn't say the words herself. "It was the right thing to do. No one should be tortured just because of who they are."

Neville placed his hand on hers, his fingers trailing over the engagement ring. "You're engaged now?" She nodded, suddenly remembering that the last time they'd been so close, he'd tried to kiss her in the library. "Are you safe with him?"

She nodded again, thinking of Theo. Draco would tell him about what she'd done, and then, what would he think about her? She couldn't really pretend any more, could she? She'd stunned Bellatrix after all. She knew that Theo would never physically hurt her, but she wasn't sure if her feelings could handle the inevitable fall out.

Shouting from the other room broke up their moment. Hermione smirked, hearing Luna practically screaming. "You listen to me, Harry Potter!"

* * *

Neville's vote had actually been the deciding factor. The three boys then proceeded to tell her what they had been up to all year. Apparently, Voldemort had made seven horcruxes, a thought so revolting that Hermione barely believed them. But then again, she knew that he was the world's most evil wizard, so she couldn't put it past him.

They'd destroyed four already - a Diary that had belonged to Voldemort as a student, a ring that belonged to Slytherin, and a locket that belonged to Slytherin, and Nagini, Voldemort's familiar who'd attacked them when they went to Godric's Hollow after Christmas. Remus told her that her uncle Regulus had actually stolen the locket from Voldemort and had hidden it in his room at Grimmauld Place. She shuddered to think that she'd grown up with a bit of Voldemort's soul just down the hall from her room.

They had it in their mind that Bellatrix had another one in her vault at Gringotts, because it was all she could talk about when she was interrogating Neville. They were trying to convince her to impersonate Bellatrix now, in order to get into her vault. "Please, you look so much like her, a small glamour would be all it would take to get in."

Hermione shuddered, but if they noticed, they didn't say anything. Hermione hated the fact that everyone brought up how much she looked like her cousin, when she knew that they weren't even related really. "No." She said, after giving it a bit of thought.

"Come on, I thought you were all about doing what was right." Potter encouraged her.

Still, Hermione wouldn't budge, remembering Alecto Carrow's breath on her neck when she'd crucioed that first year. She was done pretending to be someone she wasn't. "No, absolutely not." She said more firmly. "You should have no trouble getting into her vault without my help."

"What, how?" Ronald Weasley asked her, annoyed. Even though they knew that they were on the same side, it was still painfully clear that Weasley didn't like or trust her. Hermione was just fine with that. She didn't want to be _friends_ with him.

"You have a goblin, he should be able to get the key." Hermione said, dismissively. "Just make sure that you get a vow from him to help you until you are safe. Goblins are fickle and they do not like wizards."

"But what about the goblin that opens the door to the vaults?" Potter asked, clearly not having thought of what use the goblin that they had would be. Hermione wanted to roll her eyes. How they had survived so long was beyond her. It seemed like they were running on pure luck.

"Use the imperius, of course." She said, a bit too flippantly, seeing the three boys shocked faces. "What? Don't look at me like that! This is a war - you have to do what you can to win it. For the greater good. Isn't that what your precious Dumbledore was always saying?"

Seeing Potter wince, she realized that she might have gone too far, but none of them said anything. Trying to smooth things over, she gave them another hint. "I mean, obviously glamour yourselves first. You can't just waltz into Diagon Alley as Harry Potter."

The three of them nodded. "Yeah, that could work." Neville finally said, confidently.

Hermione pursed her lips together, thinking about what the other three horcruxes could be. "So, the objects that the Dark Lord has selected for his horcruxes seem quite significant. He's already got something that belonged to Salazar Slytherin." She said.

"So? He _is_ related to Slytherin, the snake faced bastard." Weasley said, not understanding her meaning.

This time, Hermione did roll her eyes. "I just thought you might be looking for something else that belongs to the _other_ founders. I mean, there are three left, aren't there? Maybe you are looking for something the belonged to Helga Hufflepuff or Rowena Ravenclaw."

Remus cleared his throat. "Alright, Hermione, it's time I take you back to your father. And these boys better go too. It's not good to stay in one spot for too long." He said with a tight smile. She wondered if he was uncomfortable seeing her and Potter together. Did it remind him of her father and James Potter too much?

* * *

When Remus brought her back to Grimmauld Place, she was immediately grabbed by Sirius who looked her over, before hugging her fiercely, as if he was afraid to let her go. Hermione hugged him back, glad that he was okay.

A faint sniffling in her hair made Hermione realize that he was crying. Her heart immediately softened, touched that he was legitimately concerned for her. It was normal fatherly behavior after all. He pulled back from her, looking her in the eyes, not bothering to blink away the tears that remained in his gray eyes. "I am _so_ glad that you are alright sweetheart."

Hermione smiled at him. "I am glad that you are okay, too papa." She said guiltily. She'd acted rashly - like a Gryffindor - without thinking of the consequences and her papa could have been hurt or caught unawares by the Malfoys in the time it took her to get in touch with Remus. "I'm sorry that I broke cover, but it was just so horrible, I couldn't watch any more."

Confused, he shuffled her to the couch. "Couldn't watch what any more?" He asked, worried. Seeing that she was struggling to form the words, he asked Kreacher to bring them a tea service.

"Bellatrix...she was crucioing Neville Longbottom for what seemed like hours." Hermione said, ashamed of herself. "Then she started cutting him up, too. I just snapped. I healed Neville and he will be okay, physically, but still...it was wrong and I had to do what I could to stop it."

Sirius let a long sigh out of his nostrils, hearing that Hermione had been subjected to that. He knew that Bellatrix likely found it poetic that she was torturing the son of two Aurors who she'd permanently incapacitated when he was just a baby. "It's alright, sweetheart. I understand. At some point you've got to do what's right."

Looking at his daughter's forlorn face, he realized that he had the chance to do what was right by her, finally. "It's time that we stop pretending about who we are, Hermione." She looked up at him, with hope in her clear brown eyes. "I release you from the oath that you took. You are free to talk with anyone whom you choose about who you really are."

Hermione gasped in surprise, feeling the magical weight lift from her. She hadn't even realized that she'd been carrying it around all of these years. Only...it was too late to explain to Theo. She didn't dare write a letter to him, knowing that she needed to tell him to his face and she couldn't very well just waltz into Hogwarts either. "What do we do now, papa?" She asked, as if suddenly realizing the ramifications of her actions.

"This is it Hermione." He said grimly. "Now we wait until it is time for the final battle. We will come out of hiding and show everyone whose side we are really on." He felt a bit proud, of his little speech.

He couldn't wait for this charade to finally be over. It had gone on for too long and it had caused too much strife between him and Hermione. He just hoped that everyone would see and accept the sacrifices that she'd made for the wizarding world during her short 18 years on the Earth.

* * *

Hermione and her papa spent the next few weeks listening to Potterwatch for any hint that Harry had been spotted, but to their immense disappointment that it was mostly just discouraging news about all the people who had died or disappeared. It made the whole situation seem quite hopeless.

Until the day that they got the exciting message that "Lightning had struck" at Hogwarts. They barely said a word to each while they prepared themselves for fighting. Hermione felt tears in her eyes when her papa hugged her tightly, putting all the emotion he could into the hug. "I'll see you when the fighting is over. Be safe, sweetheart." He said, with an optimism that Hermione did not feel. She wasn't sure if she would make it out of the fighting alive.

They flooed into the Headmaster's office together, and found it, unsurprisingly, empty. "Dumbledore set up a permanent Floo connection to his office. I doubt Snape ever knew it existed."

Hermione nodded. "Papa, I have to do something first." She bit her lip thinking of Theo, knowing that she wanted to tell him first hand that she was fighting for Potter before she did anything. She was going to head off to the dungeons first.

Sirius took a deep breath, knowing exactly where she was going. "I understand. See you in a while, Hermione." He promised, before running off down the spiral staircase, wand drawn.

Hermione followed after him, before splitting off to get to the dungeons. There was already fighting she tried to avoid in the main entrance hall, but she slipped unseen into the stairwell that went downstairs. On the first landing, she was surprised to be grabbed by someone. Seeing Rabastan Lestrange's face, Hermione pulled away desperately. "There you are pet. I've been so looking forward to seeing you. I heard about what a naughty little girl you were at Malfoy Manor."

She pushed her elbow up and caught his nose with a satisfying crack. She put a bit of distance between them, but Rabastan got over his pain quickly, grabbing her again, pressing her against his body. "When we're married once this silliness is over, I will have to punish you. I think that you'll quite like it." He licked the side of her face, making her shudder.

"I'd rather die than marry you." She told him, stepping down on his foot. That got him to release her. Whipping around to face him, Hermione sneered down at the man. "Or better yet, you can die." She hissed, shoving his shoulders and watching him tumble down the stairs, landing at an awkward angle at the bottom of the steps, his neck snapped. He wouldn't be getting up again.

Knowing that she didn't have time to think or agonize over what she'd just done, she took off down the stairs. Hermione made her way to the Slytherin Common Room in record time. To her surprise, she found them warded shut. No matter, it took seconds for her to savage the wards down. When she opened the door, she found the entirety of Slytherin house huddled together in the Common Room, thought Draco was notably absent with Vince and Greg.

"Hermione!" She heard someone call out, and her heart soared when it was Theo's. He pushed his way to the front, and wrapped her in a hug. "I've been so worried about you. Draco said that you stunned Bellatrix."

Hermione pulled back. "I had to Theo. She was torturing Longbottom after those three got themselves captured." She tried to understand. "I have to do what's right Theo." She pleaded with him that he would understand.

Theo looked confused. "I don't understand." Though he could understand that torturing was wrong - he'd had quite enough of it this year - he didn't see how Potter fit into it.

"Potter is the only one who can defeat the Dark Lord, Theo. I've been...trying to help Potter since my first year here, passing along useful information that I learned in Slytherin. And, it's not right to discriminate against someone because of their blood status." Hermione looked around, knowing that she had attracted something of an audience. "Tracey is a half-blood, but that shouldn't make her feel any less than me or you. She can't help who her parents are, and I refuse to live in a world like that."

"What do we do, Hermione?" Another voice added to their conversation. Surprised, Hermione turned to see Millie asking it, shoving aside a flabbergasted Pansy Parkinson. She could only imagine how the news that she was a blood traitor would spread, though, she was done hiding who she was.

"Now we go fight, the Death Eaters." She said, firmly. To her immense surprise Millie agreed to join her, as did Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass. She felt tears come to her eyes, knowing that her friends were standing by her side.

Then, she looked to Theo. "Theo? What about you?" He looked incredibly hurt, she knew, but also confused. She knew that fighting the Death Eaters would mean fighting his father, fighting Draco, fighting her Uncle. It was painful but necessary. Seeing that he wasn't giving an answer, she swallows the lump that had formed in her throat. "Well, you know how to take down my wards...if you want to join us."

She pressed her lips against his in a kiss, perhaps farewell, but he didn't return it. Steeling herself, she turned, and lead Millie, Tracey and Daphne from the Common Room, before sealing it back up.

* * *

The battle had been raging on for hours, and Hermione was so tired that she just wanted to stop. She needed it to be over. Harry Potter had died and come back to life, causing the Dark Lord to go mad with rage. It was the first time that Hermione had seen Voldemort in battle and she was terrified by his appearance, his red eyes sure to haunt her dreams for weeks to come.

She'd killed someone, even, for real. Antonin Dolohov, who she remembered from parties, had been dueling with Remus Lupin, and she remembered that he was the one who injured Luna Lovegood - a girl who had no reason to stand up for her, but did - so horribly in Hermione's fifth year, that she was overcome with rage. She knew that it was bad form to just jump into a duel, but this was war, and the Death Eaters certainly weren't following dueling protocol.

Her papa had been locked in a particularly intense and long duel with Bellatrix Lestrange, and Hermione could tell that they were well matched. Until, Bellatrix began telling him that she would give Hermione to Rabastan after the dark side won the war. Her father had a renewed sense of purpose after that, knowing that he needed to protect her.

Hermione knew it was wrong, but she relished the shocked sound that left Bellatrix's mouth as she died. She only wished she could have told Bellatrix that Rabastan was already dead, lying in a heap in the dungeons.

She wasn't sure how, though, she'd found herself locked in a duel with her Aunt Narcissa. Her Aunt was a formidable opponent, and she was quite creative with hexes, but Hermione was good at shields. "How could you do this to my family you awful little bitch? He tortured Draco for hours because you helped Harry Potter get away."

Hermione's heart had started at that, feeling horrible for Draco, but she knew that it wasn't her fault. "If you hadn't forced Draco to become a Death Eater that never would have happened. Don't blame Voldemort's punishments on me." Hermione insisted.

Narcissa was getting more emotional and more sloppy with her spell work the longer their duel went on. "I made you who you are! You would have had nothing without me!" She boasted, perhaps trying to tear Hermione down. But, Hermione hated the things Narcissa had taught her and her slave like devotion to pureblood ideals. To thinking she was better than everyone else.

"No! My father made me who I am. All you did was fill my head with antiquated rules and prejudices." Hermione insisted, before finally disarming Narcissa. Sighing, Hermione knew that she couldn't kill her Aunt. It wasn't right. "Incarcerous." She watched dispassionately as Narcissa fell to the side.

Narcissa began to scream in frustration, wanting to get out of her binds. "I have to get to Draco. I have to protect him." She called, wanting to get free of her binds.

Hermione could agree with her Aunt on this topic. Draco would need to be protected, but in Hermione's opinion, Narcissa's influence had done more harm than good. "I will keep an eye out for him, but I think you've done entirely enough to hurt Draco. Don't you?" She didn't wait for a response.

* * *

By the time that Hermione reached the courtyard, everyone was already celebrating. Voldemort had fallen, this time for good, and the Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix were rounding up the Death Eaters that were still alive.

Hermione quickly found Tracey and Daphne, who were relatively unharmed, except for a few cuts and bruises. "You should have seen Millie, Hermione! It was magnificent. I've never seen someone so strong before. She took out both Crabbe _and_ Goyle." Daphne gushed, adrenaline high in her system.

She surveyed the battlefield, and quickly spotted someone she didn't expect, standing awkwardly, like he didn't know what to do. "Theo!" She called, running over to his side. He looked so handsome standing amongst the rubble, and her heart soared knowing that he chose to fight for her side.

When she got to him, she leapt, wrapping her arms around him, and pressing her lips to his in an intense and passionate kiss. He responded momentarily, as if on autopilot, before he stopped and pushed her away. "Hermione. I am glad you are safe." He said, his voice stilted.

"What's wrong?" She queried, wanting nothing more than to drag him down to the Slytherin dorms so that they could be together.

"What did you mean when you said you'd been on Harry Potter's side since year one?" He asked, confusion still evident on his face.

Hermione felt her breath leave her. Of course it wouldn't blow over that easily. All of her good feelings from surviving and winning the final battle dissipated. Was it worth it without Theo by her side? "I mean...I've been trying to help him defeat Voldemort since first year. He didn't know it until a few weeks ago, but I just tried to pass on information to him that would help."

Theo frowned. "So, what, you were like, pretending to be our friends, just to get information out of us? Like spying on us?" He was clearly hurt.

"No, it wasn't like that." Hermione insisted, though knowing in her heart that it _was_ like that. She hadn't wanted Theo to get hurt. "I am your friend. Come on Theo, you know me." She pleaded with him. "I love you!" She cried, holding onto his hand.

"No, Hermione. I don't know you at all. You've been lying to me for years and...I don't really want to see you right now." He told her firmly, insistently, pushing her further away from him.

Hermione felt tears run down her face, knowing what he was asking of her. She pulled her engagement ring off of her finger, before handing it back to him. "I...I, I understand." She _did_ understand, but it didn't make it any easier. This was what she'd been dreading for months, years, really, but she still had no idea of how to handle it.

When she looked up, Theo was gone.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Holy cow, you beautiful, beautiful readers! Thank you so much for the tremendous response to last chapter! Huge thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed! So, there is one more chapter after this, and then the epilogue, bringing this story to a total of 31 chapters. I am so sad that this is coming to a close, but I hope you will check out some of my other work. You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peaks and info about upcoming stories.

Please let me know what you thought of chapter twenty-nine and be on the lookout for chapter thirty soon! Oh, and let me know if there is any character you are especially looking forward to hearing about in the last chapter/epilogue.

* * *

There was no time for celebration after the final battle was over, and instead, Hermione was in a revolving door of trials for Death Eaters. Of course, it got tiring to say the same thing over and over and over again, particularly when she wanted most of the Death Eaters to go to Azkaban. She failed to see how her and her father's roles needed to be rehashed again and again.

The Daily Prophet had been quite complimentary of their work to bring down Voldemort from the inside, and they had even begun to receive some fan mail. Photos ran of her papa when he was just twenty one, carrying around a toddler version of Hermione. She was quite shocked at just how _young_ he seemed to her. She knew that she could forgive him for accepting Dumbledore's request.

Many women wanted to date or just sleep with her papa who was obviously so selfless and _didn't he look cute with a baby_? The fact that she wasn't even his biological daughter, and instead an adopted muggleborn, just seemed to make their knickers wetter. Sirius had been cleared of the charge of blood magic, though, and after extensive testing, it was determined that she _was_ still blood related to him.

Still, her papa didn't seem to have any plans to settle down with a witch, so far, instead content to live the bachelor's life. She figured it was safe to continue living in Grimmauld Place for a while longer. He wouldn't kick her out just yet.

The awkward apologies to Hermione from the Gryffindors for being so rude to her were painful. Almost as painful as their attempts to include her in their little celebrations at pubs across London. She wasn't friends with them, and she didn't want to be friends with them, she just wanted her old friends back.

But none of them were speaking to her, after the details of all the information she'd heard from them that she passed on. She incriminated several of their fathers.

Hermione tried to content herself with knowing that she'd done what was right, even if the means were a little bit of a gray area. She threw herself into keeping Draco out of jail, because he was really the only one on trial she cared about.

She testified, much to Draco's embarrassment, that he'd been ordered to kill Dumbledore, but that he didn't want to, and was unable to cast the curse or complete any attempts. She told the court that he'd been forced to take the mark as a punishment for his father's failures. Draco even had a surprising character witness.

Harry Potter got on the stand and told the court that Draco had lied to the Dark Lord in the forest, saying that Potter was dead, when he wasn't. Hermione was even surprised to learn of Draco's betrayal to the Dark Lord, though she was proud of him.

In the end, he was given probation. Not only was he underage, but his good deeds had outweighed the bad in the eyes of the Wizengamot. He was free to return to Malfoy Manor, though his parents had been sentenced to considerable Azkaban terms. Hermione was glad.

Draco didn't say anything to her when he left the courtroom.

So now, she just wanted the trials to end, so that she could retreat back to Grimmauld Place and go back to the relative anonymity that she'd enjoyed before her role as a spy had come out. She was tired of being hounded by reporters and Potter and _Longbottom_. She only wanted to hear from one person, but she wasn't sure that she would ever hear from him again.

One blessing was that Ronald Weasley still was very firm on the idea that he did _not_ like her in any capacity. While everyone else was falling over themselves trying to act like there had never been any hard feelings between them, Weasley was still not talking to her. It was a fact that, oddly, endeared him to her, but she agreed, they were better off as enemies.

No, Hermione would prefer to be back in the Slytherin common room, joking with her friends or snuggled up with Theo, but she knew that that wasn't possible right now. It might never be possible again. Instead, she threw herself into her studies for her NEWT examinations. They were still scheduled to be held in June, and she was planning on taking them, even though she'd missed the last few weeks of school.

Maybe it was time for her to start considering what she would do now that she was going to be done with schooling. For so long, her future had been too uncertain, but now it was bursting with possibilities. Hermione supposed that _was_ a positive.

* * *

The first time that Harry Potter and Sirius Black met officially was wrought with so much strife that Hermione felt that she needed to sit in and mediate, even though she had lingering resentment towards him for nearly killing Draco. Potter had reached out and asked to be received at Grimmauld Place and her papa had happily agreed.

There had been feelings of abandonment, anger, tears, broken glass and one bottle of aged firewhiskey consumed by the end of the night, but at the end they were okay with each other. More than okay, really. It seemed that Potter fully understood the manipulation that Dumbledore was capable of and all was forgiven.

Apparently, Dumbledore had hidden from Potter that he was a horcrux himself, and that he would have to allow himself to be killed by Voldemort with no knowledge of if he would live again after that. Potter had been a sacrificial lamb in the truest sense.

Harry - as he insisted Hermione call him - did have some lingering resentment over the fact that he'd been sent to live with his Aunt and Uncle - horrible muggles from the sound of it - instead of with his godfather. Her papa had raged at hearing that Harry had been sent to live with Lily's sister and brother-in-law. Apparently, he'd met them at the wedding, and knew just how awful they were.

Now, though, that everything was forgiven, Harry was spending more and more time at Grimmauld Place, and her papa had even revealed that he was planning on asking Harry to move in. Harry had been living at the Burrow (the home where the Weasleys lived) and tensions were high.

Hermione knew that her days at Grimmauld Place were numbered. After all, why would her papa want to keep her around now that Potter was so eager to catch up for lost time? So, she'd squirreled herself away in her room, working on packing up her things, wanting to be ready to go when her papa inevitably asked her to.

Sitting on her bed, she stared at the picture of her papa and her at the beach in France from when she was just a tiny tot still, before she'd known she was part of this mission. Feeling tears in the corners of her eyes, she felt completely alone for the first time in her life. She'd always counted on her papa for support. Perhaps he'd let her move to the house in France, instead of just throwing her out on the streets. At that thought, she dissolved into a set of full on sobs.

"Hermione?" Her papa called cautiously from the doorway. Hermione frowned, a sob caught in her throat, knowing that she must not have shut the door all the way. She was unable to meet his eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked, moving fully into the room and looking around the room. "Why are you packing?"

Hermione scowled. How could he ask her like he didn't know why she was leaving? "I am packing so that I can get out of Grimmauld Place before Potter moves in." She said, letting the spite she felt bleed into her voice.

Sirius sat down on the bed next to her, and wrapped his arm around her. He saw the picture that she was holding and smiled softly at her. "Why do you want to move out of Grimmauld if Harry comes to join us? If it will make you uncomfortable, I won't ask him."

She recognized that that was a real bit of sacrifice for her papa. After so many years of not being able to care for Harry the way he wanted to, she was surprised that he would give up the chance. "Why wouldn't I move out? You are getting the kid that you would always preferred to have had. I have lost my usefulness." A new wave of tears rolled down her cheeks, and she stubbornly wiped them away, not wanting to seem weak in front of him.

"Hermione, I would never ever try to replace you with Harry." He said firmly. "You are my daughter, and _nothing_ is ever going to change that." He squeezed his arm around her tighter.

She gasped in shock at hearing that. "You really want me around?" She was hesitant, hoping that this wasn't just a cruel trick or joke, but her heart was full of hope for the first time in weeks.

"Of course I do. And if having Harry here is going to make you want to leave then I won't ask him." His gray eyes never left her face. "I love you, Hermione, and I know that I haven't always done the best job of taking care of you. Let me take care of you now." Sirius knew that the war had been harder on her because she'd been genuine friends with the people she'd been fighting against, while had years of hatred and rage built up.

"No, you can ask him." Hermione conceded, knowing that it was something her papa needed and wanted. "It's probably good for me to have someone else to talk to while I am here." She admitted, a fresh sob catching in her throat at the thought of her friends. At the thought of Theo. They had fought on the same side in the end, but none of them were speaking to her.

"What's wrong?" Her papa asked, soothing circles being patted on her back.

"I miss him." She said quietly, knowing that her papa knew who she was talking about. Hearing the low rumble in her papa's chest, she knew that he was mad at the boy who broke his daughter's heart.

* * *

Hermione was eating breakfast in the kitchen with Harry and her papa when the owl came. She'd of course read the day before that Alfred Nott had died in prison. He'd been old to begin with (not necessarily by wizarding standards), but extended time in Azkaban had weakened him. Hermione couldn't say that she was surprised or that broken up about it.

But the letter from Theo...he'd returned his marriage contract to her, voided of course. "As the Head of the Nott family, I regret to inform you that this contract can no longer be fulfilled. Best Regards."

It was so cold and impersonal that Hermione couldn't stop herself from bursting into tears, even if she wanted to. Her papa had to pry the documents out her hands so that he could read them, and Harry was completely unaware of what was going on.

"Hermione, are you alright?" He asked desperately. They were forming a friendship, but it was still in its infancy, and he wasn't sure about her moods yet.

Her papa told him grimly what was the matter. "Theo Nott just broke off his engagement to Hermione." He had the decency to sound guilty. "I'm sorry Hermione."

"You were engaged? To Nott?" Harry asked, genuinely surprised. Hermione knew that outside of the pureblood community, people did not usually get engaged while at Hogwarts. She was sure that Potter was surprised that her papa had ever agreed to it.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I love him. I was so happy." She covered her face with her hands, wanting to hide herself from his prying eyes. "And I betrayed him. I thought that he would understand..."

"What a git." Potter said, under his breath, though Hermione heard him. "If Nott can't see what a special witch you are...well, then, he doesn't deserve you." He told her resolutely, his hand on her back.

She only began to cry harder, feeling that she was the one who didn't deserve Theo. After all, Theo had only ever been honest with her. Over her downturned head, she could hear her papa whisper to Harry. "Not now, Harry." She was glad that he'd said something. Harry didn't understand the situation at all, so he couldn't really speak to it.

Kreacher, who still held a great love for Hermione even though he found out she was adopted, came into the room then. "Oh! Sweet little miss is upset. Nasty business that Nott heir...Kreacher never thought that he would have been good enough for our sweet little miss."

As much as Hermione knew that it was the opposite, it was nice to have Kreacher baby her a little bit. She knew that the house elf genuinely had her best interests at heart. "Come now, sweet little miss. Let's get you in bed for a while. Kreacher will bring you the best book from the library."

Hermione knew that Kreacher meant _Hogwarts, A History_. The book did make her think of Theo, but she didn't protest, wanting to get out of the stifling kitchen and be alone with her thoughts for a while. She graciously took Kreacher's out stretched hand and let him lead her from the room.

She didn't hear or see the absolutely murderous look on her papa's face as she left. "If that boy thinks he can just crush Hermione's feelings like they are nothing, he has another thing coming." Sirius promised Harry. "We'll have to reschedule our motorcycle driving lesson Harry. I have some business to attend to."

* * *

Theo had been sitting in the sun room, trying not to brood too much when his absolutely panicked house elf popped in. "So sorry, master, a Lord Black is here to see you." The little thing looked absolutely scared out of its wits.

"I'm not receiving any visitors today, Tulip. Please send him away." Theo said, gently, knowing that the onerous guest he was trying to get rid of was not the house elf's doing.

The door to the sun room flung open before the little elf could respond to Theo. "You'll receive me today, Nott." Sirius Black was every bit as terrifying as Theo imagined he would be in fight. You could practically feel his magical aura around him and his wavy, dark hair was crackling with magic. Hermione's did the same thing.

Tulip wrang her hands, looking more guilty than before, before mumbling something about a tea service and popping back into the kitchen, leaving Theo alone with the man who was once to become his father-in-law. "I don't see what we could possibly have to talk about."

"Does she really mean that little to you? Hermione?" Sirius said. "That you couldn't even talk to her, tell it to her face? Instead you just had to send her this, this _bullshit_ note. I think my own mother has written warmer missives!"

"I only did what was expected of me." Theo told him, knowing he would have to stand his ground firmly. His own feelings were fragile enough without being questioned.

"You were just too much of a coward to see how much it would hurt her. You didn't want to have to see her cry, admit it!" Sirius groused at him, his hand tightening on his wand. Theo didn't even recall seeing him draw a wand. "Don't want to know that she's been absolutely heartbroken since the battle."

"What about me?" Theo demanded, his icy exterior cracking. "Don't my feelings matter at all? She lied to me for seven years! How do I even know any of it is true? Was she even my friend? I _loved_ her and...she didn't even have the decency to tell me this huge secret. Was she just going to wait until our _permanent vows_ were said, so I couldn't object?"

Sirius frowned, knowing that he was the cause of this. Of course, he felt just as guilty in the whole situation, knowing that he was the one who continually pushed Hermione to do more, to get information about Theo's father. He'd gotten his happily ever after ending, and she got...nothing. Abandoned.

"I might have had something to do with that." He said, much quieter, his anger nearly evaporated. He took the seat across from Theo and watched as the young man sat down as well. "You have to understand...I was the one who agreed to this, I was the one who told Dumbledore I would spy. Hermione was just a baby. Only two years old."

He couldn't contain a smile, remembering the first time he'd seen her. He'd been horrified of the prospect of raising her. "When she was eight, I made her take a Wizard's Oath, not to tell anyone who I didn't give express permission about. It was for her safety, so that, she didn't accidentally say something she shouldn't."

Sirius looked at Theo, seeing the gears in his mind turning. "Before this whole official courtship mess started, she asked me permission to tell you the truth. I also told her I wouldn't let her enter into a courtship just for the sake of the mission. She told me you were different, and that she loved you."

"So why didn't she tell me then?" Theo asked, desperate for more information.

"I wouldn't give her permission. I couldn't risk your loyalties...just thinking of the things that your father would have done to her if he'd known the truth...I couldn't risk it." Sirius said, sounding guilty, though he stood by his decision. He hadn't known Theo would fight for the light in the final battle. "I told her, if you truly loved her that you would understand. But..."

Theo was eager for more information. "But what?" He demanded.

"You must not have loved her as much as she thought." Sirius said. "If your way of breaking up with her is this _bullshit_ letter. I am glad that she was able to find out _now_ before she actually bound herself to you forever. It's better this way. I am sure that she will find someone else who will treat her with the respect she deserves. Harry was actually just suggesting of setting her up with someone."

Sirius watched with a gleeful mind as the boy turned an odd purple color. He was going to get Theo Nott to at least talk to Hermione, face to face. It was the least he could do after he took a hammer to their relationship.

He let himself out of the sunroom and out of Nott Manor, feeling that he'd rather accomplished quite a lot that day.

* * *

Hermione spent her days curled up in the library, practicing for her NEWTs. Examination day was creeping forward ever so persistently, and she needed to ace every subject. Of course, her papa still tried to come up with some diversions. The other day they'd gone shopping in the muggle world and Hermione had bought loads of denims. They were criminally comfortable and flattering.

She hadn't heard anything from her friends, so she was surprised when Kreacher popped in unannounced. "A Miss Daphne Greengrass to see you, little miss." He said with a polite bow.

Hermione shut her book and set it off to the side, her feet uncurling from their position from underneath her so she would be a bit more presentable. "Of course, Kreacher, let her in." She ordered a tea service, unsure of what Daphne's business her was, but she hoped it was a pleasant enough visit for tea.

"Hello Hermione." Daphne said, waiting at the door for a beat, before rushing forward and wrapping her in a hug. "I missed you." She whispered in Hermione's ear.

Unbidden, Hermione felt tears in her eyes, and before she knew it she was crying. "Oh, you have no idea how much this means to me." She returned the hug with gusto, before offering the blonde a spot on the couch.

"It took me a while to come around." Daphne admitted. "But then, Millie told me that she was a half-blood and you'd helped protect her from the Carrows. And I got to thinking that you never really made your feelings on blood purity a secret. And I remembered that I could never fault someone because of who their parents are."

It was so odd to have a friend again, a real friend, that it gave Hermione hope that things might not turn out so awful after all. Everything would temper with time, Hermione knew. She just needed a bit more time to get over Theo.

"I did wonder why you never told me, but then I realized that you couldn't exactly tell anyone." Daphne gave her a sympathetic look. "I mean, you didn't even tell Theo."

Daphne winced, sensing that she'd hit a sore spot. "He voided our betrothal." Hermione admitted, her voice low. "He won't even speak to me."

"Theo will come around." Daphne told her, her voice confident. Hermione wasn't convinced. "Anyone with eyes could see how much you loved each other."

Before they could speak on it more, Harry came into the room. "Hey Hermione, Sirius was wondering if you wanted lunc-" Noticing the other occupant in the room, Harry quickly found himself speechless.

Hermione wanted to roll her eyes. "Harry, have you met my good friend, Daphne Greengrass?"

Harry strode forward, before taking Daphne's hand in his, kissing her lighting on the knuckles. "Good to meet you Miss Greengrass." Harry said, sounding much more formal than Hermione had ever heard him.

"The pleasure is all mine, Potter. But really, I insist you call me Daphne." She responded, obviously impressed, and blushing to the roots of her hair.

"Would you like to join us for tea, Harry?" Hermione asked, pleasantly. Harry quickly agreed, and Hermione found the conversation redirected as Daphne and Harry got to know one another. The chemistry between them was obvious.

Before long, Hermione was standing, leaving the two of them alone in the library. Just because her love life was currently non-existent didn't mean everyone else's should be as well.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Oh my gosh! Thank you all so much for your thoughtful reviews! And huge thanks to everyone who favorited or followed after last chapter. This is the last chapter of the story, but I will post an epilogue in a few days as well. Thank you so much for going on this crazy ride with me. This was immensely fun to write and I hope you enjoyed it.

You can check out some of my other work. I have a few oneshots I will be publishing this summer, and then a Lumione in a week or two I will start posting. You can follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour).

Please let me know what you thought of chapter thirty, and be on the lookout for chapter thirty-one soon!

* * *

After her tea with Daphne, the rest of her girlfriends followed suit. It was great to talk to Tracey again, and Hermione was pleasantly surprised to form a brand new relationship with Millie, who was now a proud half-blood, with her father in Azkaban.

Pansy was still sending her snide little notes, but Hermione knew that she would never be friends with the pug-faced girl, so she wasn't too upset about it. In any case, Pansy was moving to Latvia to marry some wizard her parents had contracted for her. Daphne had it on good authority that he was more than twice her age, and had been married twice before.

Hermione was excited to finally be invited for tea to Malfoy Manor, but she was also nervous, waiting in the parlor for Draco to arrive. Finally, he strode in, looking really good actually. "Draco!" She called to him, standing.

He looked awkward for a moment, before wrapping her up in a rare hug. "Oh, Hermione! I'm so glad you're here." Once they let go of each other, they were wearing matching blushes, as it was so out of character for both of them, but Hermione supposed that almost dying in a war made you a bit out of character.

"I'm sorry that I didn't have you over sooner. I've only seen my solicitor so far. I've been working out how to get all the Malfoy assets and lands signed over to me as the Head of House while my father is still alive." Draco told her, sighing as he sat in the chair, as if that was the first time he'd relaxed in a year. Maybe it was.

"I'd thought..." Hermione started, before voicing her fears. "I'd thought you hated me. That you'd never speak to me again."

"Hate you? Merlin, Hermione, you kept me out of Azkaban." Draco said, surprised, before conceding. "I mean, I was a bit... _embarrassed_ to have my business just out in the open, especially when I was such a bloody coward, but I could never hate you. You're my cousin."

"But, I'm not your cousin." Hermione said, quietly. She was sure that Draco knew that she was adopted.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Hermione? Did you or did you not show up on the Black family tapestry?"

"I did, but-"

"Then you are my cousin. Blood is all that matters to me." He promised her, solemnly. "Besides, I've known you since you we were toddlers. I'm not going to get rid of you so easily, when you're the only one who knows that I got caught in that tree when I was five after I stole my father's broom."

Hermione smiled at the memory, laughter bubbling up inside her. Merlin, it had been a long time since she'd really laughed.

"How is Theo?" Draco asked cautiously.

"I don't know, he still won't speak to me." Hermione's good mood evaporated in a moment. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about Theo to Draco because they were just as good of friends as she'd been with Theo. She didn't want Draco to pick a side. "He's voided our contract."

Draco scowled. "That dolt. Had you...has your virginity been...compromised?" He asked tentatively, perhaps not wanting to know the answer. Hermione's bright red blush confirmed the answer to him. "Circe! I am _not_ going to let him do this to you Hermione. If you've been...together, then he is honor bound to keep the contract."

Hermione shook her head. "No, Draco. I don't want him to marry me because he has to marry me. I want me to marry because he wants to...and right now, he just doesn't." She kept her eyes down in her lap.

"Fine." Draco agreed, before waiting a moment. "Well, can I set you up on a date then? Graham Montague has been playing professional Quidditch in Germany, and so he was out of the war. He's just been traded to Puddlemere."

She took a deep breath. She hadn't wanted to date again, but it had been weeks, and maybe a date would be just the thing to help her get over Theo. Plus, she remembered the excited giggles of her friends as second and third year girls, all commenting on how fit Graham was. "Alright, you can set me up. But just this once, okay?"

Draco had a cheshire grin on his face, and Hermione wondered if maybe this was a terrible idea to agree to.

* * *

Hermione had not been expecting to actually like or want to be friends with Harry Potter, as he seemed so insufferably _Gryffindor_ , but over the last few weeks that he'd been living in Grimmauld Place, they had grown close. He was nice, funny even, and he had a wicked temper that matched her and her papa's. He was fitting in much better than expected.

So, when he returned from the Weasley's home and immediately made him way to the bar cart in the library to pour himself some firewhiskey, Hermione knew that something was wrong. "Trouble in paradise?" She asked, looking up from the book she was reading on magical law. "I've noticed you've been spending less and less time at the...is it called the Burrow?"

"Yes, the Burrow." Harry agreed. "Yes, tensions have been high. Neville is dating Ginny and Ron is not happy about it at all."

"Well, he must be happy for his friend and his sister, that they can find some happiness together. I mean, Longbottom has always struck me as a gentleman." Hermione realized that she didn't know very much at all about Neville or Ron as their interactions have been quite limited. "He'll get over it in time, I'm sure."

"I'm not so sure." Harry said with a grimace. "Ron fancies himself in love with Neville, and if you are passed over for basically the girl version of you...well, Ron has a lot of hangups about being the sixth boy when his mother wanted a girl."

Hermione was surprised. Of course, there had been that rumor in sixth year, but Hermione didn't think that Weasley and Longbottom actually ever had a romantic relationship. "Is he gay?" The question slipped out of her mouth before she could pull it back. She blushed, embarrassed to pry into someone else's love life.

"I'm not sure." Harry replied after a minute of careful consideration. "He definitely likes girls, too, but I think he just thinks he's in love with Neville specifically. I don't know, they've been great friends for so long and they always know which buttons to push with the other person. Their arguments are definitely...passionate."

Hermione could sense that Harry was uncomfortable with speculating about his friend's sexual orientation, but she was glad that he trusted her with the information. "Did Longbottom ever tell you that he tried to kiss me in fifth year?" Hermione asked him, mischievousness in her voice, trying to change the subject to one with more levity.

"What? No!" Harry said. "Though it would make sense...he was always defending you to Ron. Well, what happened?"

Hermione blushed fiercely. "Well, you had formed your little defense group." Potter scoffed at her characterization of Dumbledore's Army. "And I wanted to know what you were up to, so I was spying on you. I followed Longbottom for weeks, thinking that he was the weakest link, but he noticed, and he must have thought I was interested in him romantically. Anyway, he cornered me in the library, and tried to kiss me." She dissolved into a fit of giggles, which Potter matched. "I've never told anyone that."

Harry was wiping tears from his eyes at the end of her story. "Well, I'm not surprised that Neville didn't say anything. Ron would have argued with him for fraternizing with the enemy." Harry looked up at her quickly. "Actually, hey, you know, Seamus always had a bit of a thing for you after the Yule Ball. Any chance you'll go on a date with him?"

"Ugh, not you too!" Hermione whined. "Draco's already set me up with Graham Montague." She bit her lower lip. "Honestly, I don't know if I am ready to date anyone right now. I just want to focus on my NEWTs and then start an apprenticeship in Magical Law. Papa is ready to be done with the Wizengamot, I think."

Harry nodded, knowing that the wound from Theo's cold letter was still fresh on Hermione's mind. He'd gotten the whole story from Sirius, with details filled in by Daphne, and he wanted to go give that snake a stern talking to. Thinking of Daphne made his heart speed up with excitement and nervousness.

"Say, Hermione, do you think that...Daphne is really interested in me, or is it just the whole...chosen one thing?" He asked, suddenly very self-conscious. He didn't want to date anyone who was only with him for status. "She's invited me for dinner with her parents this week."

Hermione smiled, glad that Daphne and Harry had hit it off so smashingly. "Honestly, Harry, Daphne has had a crush on you since second year." Hermione told him with a smile, seeing his self-assurance bleed back into his face. "If she's inviting you to meet her parents, she's serious about you. They've given up on contracting her for marriage after she gravely insulted her last two suitors. You're status might go a long way with _them_ , but Daphne wouldn't ask you unless she was serious about _you_."

"Excellent." Harry said with a smile, before frowning. "I sure would have liked...I don't know, it would have been great to grow up with you. Then you could have been giving me this kind of advice all along."

Hermione was unsure of what she thought about that. Of course, it was lovely to have Harry as a friend, but she was sure that things would have turned out differently if her papa had been allowed to take in Harry Potter. Would she even have been adopted or would she have been left in the muggle world?

She decided that it was pointless to dwell on what might have happened. Her papa had made it very clear that she couldn't get rid of him now and that Harry would never replace her in his heart. "Maybe, I think we would have fought a lot when we were younger though. This way, you appreciate my wisdom."

Harry snorted, before agreeing. "You know what, you're probably right."

Hermione smiled. "Plus Professor Snape was already wary enough of me. If I'd grown up with you, I know he'd never have grown to accept me." The thought of her former Head of House, who had sacrificed so much for the cause, made her sad. She wished he hadn't been one of the few who died.

* * *

Hermione had been so focused on her Charms practical that she hadn't been looking around the Ministry atrium when she left the testing room and walked right into someone else. It was her last exam, and while she was happy to be done, she was still nervous to get her results. Now she could spend her days worrying.

At least Potter had taken time out of his auror training - which had started recently - to teach her how to perform the Patronus charm. It had been difficult because her happiest memories - usually those that involved Theo - were now tainted with heartbreak, but she was able to accomplish it with practice. The little, playful otter had been a surprise that the Ministry procter was astonished to see.

Still focused on thoughts of her test, she walked right into someone else, her breath leaving her in a surprised 'oof' as she lost her balance. Warm hands wrapped around her shoulders to help keep her upright. Hermione looked up tentatively, a warm thank you on her lips, when she was shocked to see bright green eyes. Theo.

She righted herself, nervously pushing her wildly curling hair back from her face. "Oh, Theo. It's good to see you again." Hermione wasn't sure how she managed to say all that without a hint of a stutter. Meeting Theo again was something that she'd been dreading and longing for since the Final Battle.

Though, if she was honest with herself, this was not how she'd imagined it happening. She suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious in her muggle jeans and fancy, pink, floral blouse. Did Theo find her muggle clothing revolting or flattering? Daphne always told her how nice her arse looked in her new jeans.

Theo cleared his throat. "I-yes. Are you here for NEWTs testing?" He inquired, though Hermione thought it was out of politeness.

"Yes, I just completed my last one." She told him, internally going crazy over the idea of having such a banal conversation, pretending like nothing was wrong, like she wasn't still hurt. Like he wasn't still hurt. "Listen, Theo...I'm so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I...I couldn't."

She felt tears form in her eyes, and she tried to blink them away, but they stubbornly remained there, wetting her lashes. It was hard to be so close to him, the boy who she was certain she loved for at least two years, and to have him act so coldly towards her.

"Yeah, I know." Theo replied, looking at a spot above her head. He couldn't bare to look in her eyes and see her tears, knowing he would want to wrap her in his arms and tell her everything was alright. It wasn't alright, and it was all her fault. "I can't do this Hermione."

"Is it because I'm muggleborn?" She asked, needing to know if that was something that held Theo back. Her blood status was so murky due to the blood magic that had made her blood related to Sirius as his daughter. If anything, it highlighted the absurdity of blood purity.

His eyes opened in surprise as her accusation. "What? No...that doesn't...I don't care...about that, I just, I just am still hurt." He revealed.

Her head snapped up, her brown eyes meeting his. She could see the pain as clear as day in his eyes, but she wanted to shout at him. Didn't he see how much this was hurting her too? "Do you think, do you think that you could ever forgive me, Theo? Someday?" She was desperate for some absolution.

"I-I don't know." Theo said firmly, taking a step away from her. "I just don't know if I can ever trust you again." He looked panicked, before he turned on his heel and strode away from her, even though that wasn't the way towards the public floos.

Hermione felt as though there was a vice on her heart. She knew that she was about to lose it, and didn't fancy doing it in front of hundreds of others in the Ministry. She ran all the way back to the Floos.

* * *

Theo had been avoiding his friends, his responsibilities and his feelings ever since the Final Battle. Try as he might, Hermione haunted his every memory in Nott Manor, so he frequently went to the little pub in the small wizarding enclave in Yorkshire to spend his nights.

The firewhiskey did wonders to dull his thoughts and he could stumble home into his bed, and slip into a blissfully dreamless sleep. His father had died, his fiancee had betrayed him, and he was completely alone.

He was into his second glass when he was rudely interrupted by his two friends, Draco and Blaise. "I'm not up for company right now." He told them tersely, hoping that they could leave well enough alone.

"Come on, sit with us in the booth for a drink at least." Draco insisted. "Do you even know how difficult it was to find you? I had to threaten your house elf." The blond looked at his hands, before grabbing Theo's glass and waltzing over to the table.

Theo sighed, knowing that they wouldn't leave until he talked with them, making his way to where they were sitting. With Draco and Blaise on the other side of the table, he suddenly felt as though he were going to be interrogated.

"I know what you did." Draco said, staring at him fiercely, and Theo knew then that this visit had one purpose only. Hermione.

"I realize that the note was a bit...formal, but I thought that a clean break would be best to break off the engagement." Theo told them, before taking a large gulp of his drink, enjoying the burning feel as it slipped down his throat.

Draco looked furious. "What? No! I mean I know that you fucked her. She told me. I can't believe you would take advantage of my cousin like that. Just think of her prospects now!" The blond lamented.

Theo scoffed, his head a bit fuzzy from the alcohol. "If anything it was _she_ who took advantage of me." Theo smirked at Draco's face to that revelation. Although Hermione had initiated their first sexual encounter, he certainly hadn't needed much convincing. "And I am sure she can do just fine on her prospects. She still a member of the Black family, and now, she's famous."

"Yeah, she is doing alright." Blaise told him, with a smirk. "Montague has taken her on two dates, and I saw her down at the pub with Finnegan the other night."

"Finne-" Theo cut himself off, knowing that Blaise had only said it because he was trying to get a rise out of him. "If you think that you can make me jealous, or you want me to _do the right thing_ you can just leave. I'm not getting back together with Hermione." He was adamant, but the thought of some scummy Gryffindor with his hands on her was testing his resolve.

"Why the hell not, Theo?" Blaise demanded. "Everyone knew that you guys were perfect for each other."

"Because she lied to me! For years! I don't even know what was real and what was fake." Theo slammed his glass against the table. "Did you know when my father formalized our courtship, she broke into my father's study and stole from him? The very same night! I don't even know if she wanted to date me or if it was just a ploy to get more information."

Draco was annoyed. "Yes, she kept things from you, but she kept things from everyone. I've known her since we were toddlers Theo. She didn't have a choice in all this...Dumbledore took it away from her." Theo flinched under the flinty stare of his friend. "And as her _cousin_ I can tell you that she is the exact same Hermione she was before, but you'll never be able to figure that out if you don't talk to her."

"Think about all the great times you had together. You were inseparable." Blaise teased. "All those hours in the library _alone_. Did her reading arithmancy equations get you bothered and hot, Nott?"

He flushed red thinking of some of their more amorous activities in the library, including one time that he'd fingered her under the table. She'd looked so _lovely_ flushed red and trying to control her little moans, her face pressed against his neck to muffle them. He was surprised that Madame Pince hadn't caught them. She'd been magnificent.

Theo's previously steely resolve was completely eroded, and Blaise could clearly tell. "Alright, so will you at least talk to her?" Draco had gone very red in the face at the mention of anything remotely sexual going on with Hermione. "Or do I have your permission to ask her out?"

"Oh, piss off Zabini." Theo practically snarled at the idea of Blaise dating Hermione. It was no secret that the pair weren't friends. "Alright, I'll speak with her." He promised, his chest suddenly feeling lighter than it had in weeks. Maybe, he wasn't as alone as he thought.

* * *

Theo stared up the steps to number 12 Grimmauld Place wondering, and not for the first time, if this was all one big colossal mistake. He'd made a promise to Draco and Blaise that he would speak to Hermione, and he'd sent her an owl the same night, before he could lose any of his liquid courage.

To say that he was surprised to have a response from her in the morning was an understatement. While he knew he was hurt, he wasn't blind from the fact that he'd hurt her as well. And, well, remembering the pure rage of Sirius Black all those weeks ago, he didn't really fancy picking up Hermione from her overprotective father again.

Knowing that he couldn't wait any longer without treading into unforgivably late territory from fashionably late territory, Theo strode up the steps and knocked confidently on the door.

He was surprised when the door was wrenched open, very violently, by none other than Harry Potter. "So you finally show your face around here, eh, Nott?" He asked, with a fierceness that Theo had not been expecting. Was Potter...involved with Hermione? Why would she agree to dinner with him if she was with someone else?

"Enough, Harry." Sirius Black's voice boomed out from the hallway. "Let the _boy_ in."

Theo took a deep breath, knowing that the two men were just trying to intimidate him. Luckily, he was saved from further chit-chat with them, when Hermione came running down the stairs. She was...gorgeous. A green wrap dress hugged every inch of her skin, and he could see his mother's necklace proudly displayed on her decolletage.

The message was clear. She was still a Slytherin.

While Potter was whining to Hermione about her attire, Sirius spoke quietly to him, sure that his daughter couldn't hear him. "I encouraged Hermione to burn your note, but she wants a second chance with you. If you hurt her again, well...it won't be pleasant. Remember, I may be a _blood traitor_ , but I've still spent the majority of my life surrounded by Dark wizards."

Theo didn't have to be told twice, nodding his head in assent and taking Hermione's hand in his, so that he could apparate them to their dinner destination. He'd picked somewhere that had cozy little corners, perfect for the private conversation that they needed to have.

Seated at their table, things were a bit awkward while they both ordered their dinners, and Hermione just kept staring at him with such wounded eyes. "This is bloody awkward." He told her, his misery bleeding into his voice.

Hermione reached out to grab her hand. "I know that we can't go back to the way that it was...but, I'm still the same girl that you protected from a werewolf in third year, the same girl who searched for the Chamber of Secrets with you, the same girl who loved every single minute that we had together. If you just give me a chance...to show you that I'm the same person I've always been, just with new friends, I'd...well, it would mean a lot to me."

Theo was suddenly awash with memories. They certainly had been through a lot together, and he could never forget that she was the reason he _didn't_ have a Dark Mark on his arm right now. "You really hurt me Hermione." He said quietly, pausing a moment when he saw the absolute look of hopelessness on her face. "But I know I hurt you too. I...I forgive you, but, only if you'll forgive me too."

She stared at him in surprise, tiny little tears shining in her eyes. She wasn't speaking and he could clearly read all of the hurt that she'd been carrying around for weeks. He felt like a complete git, having been running away from his feelings, afraid to take a chance on Hermione because it all could have been fake. But when he remembered all the times that they had together.

She still wasn't speaking. "Oh, I know I was a complete tosser, Hermione, but please don't make me beg for your forgiveness in public." He whined, knowing that he would do just that if she should ask for it.

Hermione awarded him with a bright smile before nodding enthusiastically. "I...of course I forgive you, Theo."

"Well, tell me about these new friends of yours." He prodded, after their respective meals had arrived. "I noticed that Potter seems to be living with you?"

"Well, he's my papa's godson of course. I actually like him a lot more than I expected." She admitted, taking a sip of her red wine. "He's dating Daphne." She told him all about the courtship so far, and her plans once she got her NEWT results.

Her top priority was punishing Dolores Umbridge, who had apparently used blood quills while Headmistress of Hogwarts. Theo was horrified that it had been going on under his nose. He'd never even known that it had happened to Hermione.

Sucked into pleasant conversation with her, Theo was reminded, emphatically, that Hermione was exactly the girl that he'd grown up with. She'd given hints throughout the years about who she really was, but he'd been too blind to notice them.

When the night, regrettably came to an end, Theo apparated them back to the stairway of Grimmauld Place, and longed to hold her to him for just a while, but he knew that they still needed time. Pulling back from her, he couldn't resist capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. Breaking away, he wished her goodnight and watched, reluctantly, as she went back inside her home.

* * *

Weeks had passed by and before Theo knew it, Hermione's birthday had come up. They'd gone on many dates over the summer, and before long they were as inseparable as they'd been at Hogwarts. Potter and Sirius had even warmed up to the idea of him again, even going so far as to invite him with to a Quidditch match.

He was glad that he'd given Hermione a second chance, because he knew now more than ever what a wonderful person she was. He couldn't imagine living in a world where she wasn't by his side. He was even more glad that she'd given _him_ a second chance, after he'd been such a stubborn prat earlier in the summer.

So, when it came time to offer her a birthday present, in front of her friends who had collected in the library of Grimmauld Place, he knew exactly what to get her. "I know that any birthday present I give you won't come close to sending Umbridge to Azkaban." He said, softly with a smile. Hermione had just won her first case in front of the Wizengamot, after bringing forth numerous victims of the woman's "punishments." Theo had never been so proud of his girlfriend, and he was sure that all of the wizarding world knew just how strong Hermione Black was.

"But, I've been holding on to something that I think you might like back." Theo fell to one knee, and this time it was anything but expected, based on the surprised gasps around the room. He presented her with the diamond ring she'd given back to him at the end of the battle. "Hermione, will you do the honor of becoming my wife?"

Hermione gasped, tears in her eyes - though this time they were happy - and she enthusiastically nodded yes. "Of course I will, Theo." She told him sweetly. He slipped the ring on her finger, before standing up to kiss her. This felt _right_.

Though they had shared many kisses, this would be the one Theo would always remember. Her mouth opened up to him, her tongue eager to meet his, as she melted against his body, her fingers delving into his hair to pull him closer to her, not caring that they had a considerable audience. When someone shouted at her to get a room - Potter he suspected - Hermione broke the kiss, only to smirk at the occupants of the room. Then, before he knew what was happening, she was apparating him to her bedroom, silencing and locking charms put up post haste.

She pushed him back against the bed, and for the rest of the evening the pair more than made up for lost time, glad to have one another once again.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Aw, here it is, the end. Thank you again to everyone who favorited, followed or reviewed during this story. All of your support and kind words makes writing exciting. I hope you will check out some of my other work, in my profile, or follow me on tumblr (nauticalparamour).

Please let me know what you thought of chapter thirty-one!

* * *

 **May, 2000**

"Do you think he'll be excited?" Hermione asked one hand tightly grasping her husband's hand, the other lightly resting on her belly. She hadn't started to show yet, but her healer insisted it was certain to happen in a short amount of time.

Theo moved them forward in the portkey line. "I'm not sure. It will probably come as a bit of a surprise, I'm sure. It might get him to stop...oh, sowing his wild oats, as they say." He told her with a smirk, before she elbowed him in the side.

"I can't wait to see the old house." Hermione said with a smile. "I can't believe that I haven't taken you here before." They were going to the summer home in France, where her papa had been staying for a few months. Unfortunately, Grimmauld Place had contracted a very severe doxy infestation, and Luna Lovegood was studying their behaviors. Soon, though, the would be removed from the old townhouse.

"Yes, I'm excited to see it. I know that you love it there, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it as well." He let his thumb trace patterns on the back of her hand. Before they knew it, they were at the front of the line and ready to take their portkey.

Arriving in the south of France, Theo was overwhelmed with the salty smell in the air, but there was no denying that it was picturesque. He could easily see why Hermione would love the rolling blue sea and sunny skies.

They had decided to walk up to the house from the local Inter-Country transportation office, but now Theo could see that his wife was just getting more and more nervous. She bit her lower lip, before turning to face him. "What if he thinks it's too soon?"

Theo stopped walking so he could look at her. "Do you think it's too soon?" He asked, his green eyes looking over her face for any kind of doubt. Though, he figured, it was a little bit too late to worry about it.

"No, of course not!" Hermione told him, with a roll of her eyes. "It's just...I know how hard it was for him to accept me growing up, you know, becoming a woman, and I don't want to upset him." She said honestly.

Theo leaned down to kiss her forehead. He knew many people were curious about their height difference, but they both found that they fit together perfectly. "Hermione, your father only ever wants what's best for you, what makes you happy. If you are happy, he will be happy." Theo knew that this was true, though he was a little bit nervous.

It had taken a long time for Sirius to come back around to Theo, but by the time that they'd gotten married a year ago, he'd had the elder Black back on his side. He had Hermione had a somewhat long engagement, by pureblood standards, waiting slightly over a year after they'd gotten re-engaged to get married.

They'd enjoyed the courtship, though, getting to know one another well, even better than they had as students. They still had a lot in common. Hermione had wanted to get her career with the Ministry up and running as well. She knew it was odd for a pureblood woman to have a job, but it was what she wanted. Theo fully supported her.

"Alright, let's go." She told him, her smile brightening. She was eager to see her papa, as it had been a few months. After the war, he'd been a bit hesitant to date, seeing as women mostly just wanted him because of his story. It didn't take long for the hype to die down, though, and he resumed his womanizing ways soon after, to Hermione's consternation. She just wanted him to settle down with someone who would make him happy, as happy as Theo made her.

When they walked up the long gravel driveway, she could see her papa eagerly bouncing on the balls of his feet, waiting for them to finally arrive. As she got closer, Hermione couldn't wait any longer, and ran up the walkway to where Sirius was waiting with open arms. His arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace, he whispered in her ear. "Oh, sweetheart, I've missed you."

After their bag was taken upstairs to Hermione's old room by a house elf, Sirius dragged them out onto the patio, where he had some bread, meat, cheese and oil waiting for them, as well as some wine.

Her papa proposed a toast, and Hermione raised her glass, but didn't drink, causing his grey eyes to narrow in confusion. Knowing that he'd ask questions, Hermione decided to just get it over with. "Papa, Theo and I have some news for you." She gave him a shy smile, and felt Theo give her leg a comforting squeeze under the table. "You are going to be a grandpa!"

Sirius didn't know what to think when he heard those words, he was just overcome with emotion. Part of him wanted to castrate the Nott boy, but then he had to remember that his little girl was twenty-one now and she was a Nott herself. It wasn't as though this was a mistake, but rather, a joint decision that they were excited about.

He felt tears swimming in his eyes, to his surprise, but he gave Hermione a reassuring smile. "Sweetheart, I am so happy for you. This is wonderful news. Congratulations." He cleared his throat, not wanting to ball his eyes out right at the table. "How far along are you?"

"About twelve weeks." Hermione said resting her hand on her stomach again, a fond smile on her face. "The little one is due to arrive in early November."

Sirius smiled at that, it would be a lovely birthday present for him, for his family. He almost couldn't wait to hold the little tyke, knowing that he'd missed out on the baby years of Hermione's life.

"Now." Hermione said, with her prim and proper voice that meant he was going to get a scolding. "If we can just find a nice witch to be grandma, I would be happy." Sirius gave her a sheepish grin at that. He wasn't ready to settle down just yet.

* * *

 **December, 2003**

"Sirius was such an adorable ring bearer." Daphne gushed over the little boy, currently sleeping on Hermione's shoulder, in his miniature dress robes. Hermione smiled at her friend softly, running her hand through his blond curls.

She'd seen baby pictures of Theo, and knew that her son would one day grow to have the same brown sugar colored hair that her husband had. The black family had contributed his wild curls, though, and Hermione felt a bit bad for the boy, remembering the trouble they had caused her as a child. At least he could get hair care tips from his grandpa Sirius.

Daphne sighed, watching the bride and groom waltz around the dance floor. "Ugh, I wish I didn't have this baby inside of me, so I could at least drink." Hermione wanted to remind her to be happy that she'd finally gotten over her morning sickness. "Astoria was such a bridezilla. I am glad it's finally over. She's Draco's problem now."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh really Mrs. Potter? Need I remind you what happened at your wedding? You decided to change the color scheme the morning of your wedding! I was charming floral arrangements for hours."

Daphne laughed at the memory. "I didn't realize how much the red I'd chosen would clash with the Weasley family. We should blame Harry for it...he's the one who invited them."

Hermione was inclined to agree. Though she'd grown quite close to Harry, she certainly wasn't fast friends with the Weasley family, though she could tolerate them. Daphne and Harry had gotten married not long after Sirius was born. "I suppose that's fair."

"Did you know Astoria had the gall to tell me not to get too fat so that I wouldn't fit into my bridesmaid's dress?" Daphne asked, a scowl marring her pretty face.

Hermione gasped. "No!"

"Yes! I told her I wasn't fat, I was pregnant. And I'm only four months. I barely even have a bump." Daphne regaled her.

Hermione glared daggers at the bride for her friend. Draco's bride looked completely different from her sister, with dark brown hair and big blue eyes. She was rather pretty though, but a complete pain in the arse.

She couldn't believe that Draco had contracted for her. Hermione knew that some of the so called old pureblood ways were still prominent in her social circle, she'd thought that her cousin would avoid marriage for as long as possible. That was, of course, until he met Astoria after her graduation from Hogwarts. He'd approached her father immediately. It helped that Astoria was just as smitten as he was.

Daphne was a bit hurt because of the way her parents longed for Astoria to clean up after Daphne's mess of rejecting the pureblood ways by marrying Harry Potter, who, although he was the hero of the Wizarding World, he was still just a half-blood. A barely acceptable half-blood.

"I heard that they are going on a grand tour for a year." Hermione said, fondly looking at her cousin. If he was happy, she was happy. "It will be nice to get her out of your hair for a while. Will she come back for James's birth?"

Daphne nodded absentmindedly. "Oh, yes, that certainly wouldn't be acceptable to mother and father." Hermione agreed, before scanning the room, looking for her husband. He'd been called out to the patio to share a cigar with Harry and Sirius. "Oh, look at Tracey and Blaise!" Daphne cried eagerly.

Hermione burst out laughing, seeing the pair dance together. They were pressed so tightly together, she thought that they just might fuse that way. After the war, Blaise had found Tracey irresistible, and had tried to date her at every chance. Unfortunately for him, Tracey wanted nothing to do with him.

Seeing the way his hand was tangled in her long red hair, Hermione figured that they were finally giving it another go. She was glad, their sexual tension was ridiculous and she knew that they would do well together. It was nice to see Blaise taken down a notch too.

The acrid smell of cigar smoke overwhelmed her when Theo came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, kissing little Sirius on the head. "Shall we head home, Hermione? We've all had a big day."

Hermione nodded at that, having been up before the sun was up to assist Draco with his wedding and to get herself dressed up as well. "Goodnight Daphne. Tell Harry goodbye for us, won't you?"

Theo led her from the room, proud to have such a gorgeous witch on his arm. Not only that, but she was powerful and intelligent. She'd taken the Black family seat on the Wizengamot, and he loved to watch her debate with lesser wizards who continually underestimated her because she was a woman.

When they got back to Nott Manor, they settled three year old Sirius into bed, before standing over his sleeping form, watching him dream. "He's so perfect." Hermione whined. "I love him so much."

Theo murmured in agreement, before kissing her on the cheek. "I can't imagine life without him in it. I can't imagine life without _you_ in it. I am so glad that everyone talked me into giving you a second chance." He told her with a smirk, laughing when her elbow connected with his side. They'd both been given second chances.

Hermione bit her lip, nervous about whatever she was going to ask him. Tearing her eyes from Sirius, she turned to look at her tall, handsome husband. "Do you ever think about having another one?" She asked, decidedly mischievous.

Theo's eyebrows practically shot to his hairline. He supposed that he did think about it time and again. Hermione had been very beautiful, swollen with _his_ child. It was some kind of primal feeling in him. "It's crossed my mind. Shall we go give it a try, Mrs. Nott?" He asked her.

She nodded, cheeks pinker than he'd seen in a while, before turning tail and running from the room, leaving Theo to give chase. By the time he captured her in their bedroom, she was giggling.

* * *

 **September, 2004**

"Isn't she perfect, Sirius?" Hermione asked her son while she held his baby sister at Saint Mungo's. "She's so beautiful."

Her son gently grabbed her little hand in his, staring at the tiny nails on her perfect little fingers. "When can we take Cora home, mummy?" He asked, his legs swinging off the edge of the bed. Hermione stared into her son's gray eyes. She'd been surprised that he got that Black family trait, as no one was really sure how a blood magic adoption would affect her. Then again, she had no idea what her biological parents looked him.

"Tomorrow morning, we will be able to take her back home with us." She promised him. Cora, named for the paternal grandmother that she'd never meet, was born with the same curly blonde hair that Sirius had and she was so gorgeous that both mother and father had fallen in love on sight.

"Are you ready for visitors?" Theo asked, wanting to make sure Hermione had enough time just the four of us before she was overwhelmed with well wishes of friends and family.

Hermione yawned, sleepily. "Oh maybe just my papa first." She decided, knowing that her papa was probably out in the hallways pacing and worrying, even though the healers and doctors had probably already told him everything was fine.

Theo left and returned a few moments later with Sirius Black in tow. He let out a low whistle. "Would you look at her! She's gorgeous, sweetheart." He smiled at the tiny baby in Hermione's arm. "Don't think I've ever seen a baby with so much hair though."

Theo cracked a smile at that. It was certainly a trait that Cora had gotten from her mother. "Would you like to hold her?" He asked.

Sirius nodded eagerly, taking the tiny bundle and sitting in one of the provided chairs. Little Sirius quickly hopped from the chair and sat on his grandfather's knee, unwilling to miss a moment with his little sister. "Oh, you are going to have your work cut out for you when she gets to Hogwarts." Sirius mused.

"How come, grandpa?" Sirius asked, confused about what Hogwarts would have to do with his sister.

"Well, she's going to grow up to be so beautiful that boys will be lining up outside the common room to get a chance to talk to her." Sirius promised the little boy. "And it is your duty to be her chaperone, to look after her and make sure she doesn't get into trouble and the make sure that none of the boys hurt her."

"I won't let anyone hurt Cora." He promised, again touching her tiny little hand. "I will make sure to keep all of the boys away from her. Except Teddy, I guess he can play with her." He decided that his friend, Teddy Lupin would be alright.

"Let me give you a little advice." Sirius told his grandson with a smirk, before eying up Hermione and Theo who were watching the scene with a smile on their faces. "When she comes and tells you that her best friend is a boy, remember that even he might be interested in her. In fact, he just might try to marry her."

"Cora won't have a best friend who's a boy!" Sirius said with a giggle. "Cora's a girl and she will want to play with tea sets and ponies, not play quidditch like me." The little boy already had a training broom, to Hermione's utter dismay, and he loved trampling around the Dales, making a mess.

"Well, that's what happened to your mum." His grandfather said quietly. "She told me about this boy at Hogwarts who was her best friend, and I thought, 'oh, isn't that interesting?' and then six years later she was getting engaged to him."

Little Sirius turned to look at his parents. "Is that true? Were you mummy's best friend at Hogwarts?"

Theo gave his son a warm smile. "Yes I was. I knew from the first time on the train that we would be good friends."

"But mummy doesn't even like flying!" Sirius was exasperated. This didn't make any sense at all.

"Yes, but we both loved books and she was the only one of my other friends who liked to read _Hogwarts, A History._ " Theo responded, his hand grasping Hermione's tightly. "And at first, I didn't think of her as anything, but a friend, until one day I realized that I'd fallen in love with her."

"Then what happened?" Sirius asked, eager to hear the rest of the story.

"Then I kissed her." Theo told him, laughing when his son made a face and muttered something about how kissing was yucky. "Well, shall we let the others in to meet your sister? I think Teddy is bouncing off the walls out there."

The little boy finally nodded, and Theo called for the other visitors to come in. The little family moment was soon overwhelmed by their friends and family, eager to meet the new addition to the Nott family.

* * *

 **December, 2018**

When Hermione's fourteen year old daughter stormed past them up the stairs the moment they got home from King's Cross on their Yule Break, she immediately turned to her son. Seventh year Sirius Nott was already looking wistfully after his sister, clearly upset. "Mum, something's wrong with Cora, but she wouldn't tell me what happened."

Her son was as tall as his father these days, his hair the same shade of brown. One might even think they were twins if it weren't for his curly hair and gray eyes. "I'll go talk to her." She promised, before making the slow walk up the staircase to her daughter's room.

When she pushed open the door, Cora was laying on her side on her bed, watching the snowflakes falling through the window of her room. "Cora, darling, what's wrong?" Hermione asked, tentatively entering the room when she heard her daughter's sniffling.

Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed, pushing Cora's light brown curly hair away from her face, so that she could look into her light green eyes. Theo's eyes. "Hugo Weasley said that all Slytherins are evil, dark wizards and witches. He said you and dad were Death Eaters."

Cora had been sorted into Slytherin house two years ago when she started at Hogwarts. Sirius had been a Ravenclaw, to his parents surprise, given that he didn't seem to enjoy reading as much as either of his parents. Still, he was very bright and was an excellent addition to Ravenclaw's Quidditch team as a beater.

Hermione pursed her lips together, trying to think of the best way to tackle her daughter's fears. "Sweetheart, you know that your father and I weren't Death Eaters. Why would you listen to what Hugo Weasley has to say?" Ronald Weasley got over his infatuation with Neville once his sister became Mrs. Longbottom. He had married Lavender Brown and they had two children.

Cora shrugged her shoulders. "I don't want to be a dark witch." She whispered, knowing the horror stories of the last war. Hell, she even knew what her cousin Draco had gone through.

Hearing that, Hermione tried to keep her smile from her face. "I promise that you won't become a dark witch on accident, Cora. In any case, you know that not all Slytherins are evil, just like not all Gryffindors are good. The only thing that people can do is what they think is best, and even then, it might not turn out as well as they think it will. Just look at Dumbledore."

Albus Dumbledore was a conflicting character in modern history. He had played a large role in bringing down Voldemort, but he also had damaged a lot of people's lives, and not everyone looked on him so fondly. Hermione wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to forgive him.

Hermione's own role in history had been reduced to a small paragraph, for discovering the nature of the taboo charm, thus saving hundreds of lives. It was a bittersweet note on her life during the war, which was far more complicated than that.

"Further, even if someone does something wrong, like when cousin Draco became a Death Eater, you can _always_ change your mind and work to fix your past mistakes." Hermione promised her daughter, whose tears were drying up.

Cora sat up, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "You promise that I won't become a Dark witch?"

"I promise, Cora." Hermione said, fondly. "Honestly, those Gryffindors always see things so black and white. Me good, you bad. They are like cavemen, the lot of them!" She said teasing her. "Your grandfather was always a bit like that too. He could never understand the subtle intricacies of being a Slytherin."

"I sometimes forget that grandpa was a Gryffindor." Cora responded, a bright smile on her face now. "You're right, Hugo Weasley is a fool. Did you know he exploded three cauldrons already this semester in potions?"

Hermione shook her head. "He doesn't sound like he knows much of anything. Alright, you get changed, and then meet us downstairs. We are going to Grimmauld Place for dinner tonight."

When she stood from the bed, she saw her husband listening in from the door, a soft smile on his face to see his two girls interact. As soon as she was out in the hallway with him, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a kiss. "Do you ever regret it?" He asked.

"I will always have regrets." Hermione told him, a bittersweet smile on her face. "I regret that my actions hurt you so much, and made you doubt what I felt for you. If I could do it over again, though...I think I would still help out. It wasn't right."

Theo was nodding along, his hand laced tightly in hers as they walked down to their bedroom, so that they could also change for dinner. "I know what you mean. All the blood purity...it never made sense to me. And well, I suppose I saw the damage that Voldemort did to families...to my family."

"I can tell you one thing though." Hermione said, with a grin. "I am glad that I was chosen because if I hadn't been, I would have never met you, befriended you, fallen in love with you. You are worth all of the pressure and awfulness that I went through. So, I don't regret that one bit."

He smiled down at his wife of nineteen years - nineteen years - now able to joke about her work as a spy during the last war. "Hmm, I would have been curious to see what some of your seduction...I mean, interrogation techniques would have been if I had any information work gathering." Theo ribbed her. Thinking about how Hermione would have tried to get information from him was something he'd thought about recently.

"Oh you would, would you?" Hermione asked sharply, intrigued by his insinuation. "I bet I can get you to tell me what you got me for Christmas this year before I even open the box." She promised, her hands on her hips, reminding him of the bossy school girl she once was.

"Oh really? I doubt it." Theo teased her, excited to see where this would go.

Hermione smirked before pushing him back on the bed. "I think that you will find that I can be very persuasive, Theodore." Her voice dropped to a husky tone he rarely heard. "But you'll have to wait until after dinner for me to prove it. We're expected in fifteen minutes."

He growled at her playfully, before pulling her back onto the bed with him, planting a kiss on her lips. They still felt as lovely and soft as they did all those years ago in the Slytherin common room. His small family was everything he'd dreamed of in his sixth year as a Slytherin and he couldn't think of anyone better suited to him than Hermione.

They were an hour late for dinner. He didn't regret it either.


End file.
